Losing Someone You Love
by BeautifulEyes20122013
Summary: Manny starts doing dangerous things to herself, she is going down a bad path in her life and she don't care about what happens to her, can somebody stop her before she ends up losing her life!
1. The Funeral

_In the confines of her isolated bedroom, Manny was wishfully staring at a picture of her mother. With her legs under her childish purple butterfly covers and her left hand holding a white picture frame, her eyes gazed longingly at the attractive woman. She heard a knock on her door and quickly came back to reality._

_"Are you ready to go ?" asked her dad._

_"Yes I am," she said as she placed the picture back on her nightstand next to her diary and various other photographs of her family in their own colorful complimentary frames. She hears her father leave the house quickly with a slight slam to the front door. She sighs quickly, rubs a small tear from her eye, and rushes to the door._

_Talking a deep breath, she sums up all of her courage just to get out of the door and to get into the car. She gets into the family van and her father backs out of the driveway._

_They take the scenic route to the church where the funeral was being held. They passed the various family houses with front lawns manicured and picket fences. She tries not to think about who may have been the one to fix the vegetation surrounding the homes. She becomes overwhelmingly thankful when they arrive to the church and she can get out the car._

_She quickly jumps out of the seat and opens the door (which is then proceeded to be shut forcefully) as she makes her way to the front of the church. It's only when Mrs. Thompson, a friend of her mothers, asks where her father is. She turns around with a slight, "Oh," and walks swiftly back to get him. He's sitting in the front seat with his seat belt still guarding him. But from what, Manny doesn't know. She fortunately is able to get him out of his trance as they walk into the church together and sit down in the front row._

_With everyone gathered, the Priest stands up behind the pulpit and begins to speak about her mother. But his biblical verses mean nothing to Manny as her mind wanders around the confines of the church._

_Besides her mind, Manny's eyes gaze across all of the people in the church as well. The various faces that are now taking up space in the myriad of pews gracing the room. She bitterly thought to herself, 'I can not believe all these people came. Some of them don't even like my mom.' Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by the aging Priest._

_"I would like for a family member or a love one to come up and something about Julietta Santos."_

_Manny's father stood from his seat next to her and snakingly walked up to the pulpit to stand where the Priest once was._

_"I knew my wife for 20 years," he began quietly. His fingers where shaking as he made them hold the corners of the wood to keep them steady from trembling. "And there is not one thing…I could ever find…bad about her," he said as his voice trembled, threatening to break._

_"She was sweet, caring, and funny. She always knew how to make a person laugh," he continued a slight smile on his face. His eyes looked up from the pulpit as he began to look towards his surrounding mourners. His smile became brighter when he realized how exactly true his words was._

_He watched as others in the church started to smile as well._

_"And she loved her daughter," he said looking at Manny. Manny couldn't help but blush as he singled her out amongst the crowd. She smiled slightly at his words, but then quickly became saddened once again realizing how concrete the death of her mother was._

_"I know that I will never find another woman like her," he finished his voice thick with sorrow. With her father's words, Manny realized how her life would never be normal ever again. The comforting arm that her father, Joseph, slung around her when he returned didn't help her much. And as the mourners all walked outside to watch her mother's coffin become lost in the dirt ground of the cemetery, she nearly broke inside. But she had to be strong for her father. So she bit her lip, fought back the tears, and became the man her father wished she had been when she was born._

_While Joseph was driving the car home, he chanced a glance at his daughter Manny. "How are you doing ?" he inquired._

_She didn't say anything. She kept her eyes focused on the road._

_"I see that you didn't cry at the funeral," he pointed out worriedly._

_"What is the point? It is not going to bring her back," she said looking out the window. Her eyes were dead._

_"I know you feel that way now but after a while you are going to want to cry," he said hoping to get some response. "When you do I will be here for you."_

_Manny didn't say anything as she continued to stare blankly out the window._

_***Three weeks later***_

_Manny was sitting at her desk during her regular mathematics class at school. She had forgotten to do her homework and now was attempting to pretend like she did it. Acting was her gift, after all. Okay, she lied. She didn't forget. She just didn't feel like it…It was like there was the void in her chest that prohibited her from ever completing a task. She just didn't care anymore. Her eyes wandered outside as she began to tune out the conversation the class was sharing._

_"Can you tell me what 12x6 is ?" asked Mrs. June._

_Emma raise her hand. "Is it 72?" Emma asked studiously._

_"That is right," Mrs. June replied. "Manny Santos, can you tell me what 3x14 is?"_

_Manny snapped her eyes from the window and to Mrs. June. She blushed feverishly. "I don't know," she said timidly._

_"You would know if you did the homework," said Mrs. June sharply._

_Manny replied calmly, "I didn't want to do it."_

_"Are you getting smart with me?" asked Mrs. June. She had begun to walk towards Manny with a step that was similar to the military sergeants at the nearby military base._

_"Maybe I am? What are you going to do about it," said Manny with an edge to her tone._

_"Well," began Mrs. June slightly stunned, "I am going to give you a detention. For two weeks. "_

_Manny laid her head on the desk. The cool material of the desk set apart her hot skin. 'I hate this school,' Manny thought to herself._

_As class finished, Manny quickly grabbed her books and headed out the door. As she walked through the halls toward her next class of the day, she was followed quickly by Emma._

_"Hey Manny," she said. "What was with you in class?" she asked worriedly._

_"Nothing," Manny stated. Emma encouragingly grabbed Manny's arm._

_"Come on Manny, I never seen you acted that way before," she said._

_"People act different when they lose someone," said Manny._

_Emma stopped walking. "What?"_

_"My mother, Emma, my mother. Dead. Dead. Dead," said Manny brutally. She scoffed at Emma. Though she had paused in her walking to reply to Emma, she quickly began to set the pace again._

_"Manny, why didn't you tell me your mother died," Emma said as she jogged up to her._

_Manny stopped walking again and turned around and looked at Emma. "Because I didn't want to hear you say I am sorry or how I am doing," said Manny. "I am just so sick and tried of everybody asking me that same damn question."_

_"Alright I won't ask you that but you should of told me," said Emma._

_"Why?" asked Manny._

_"Because I am your best friend and I wanted to be their to help you get through it," said Emma. "I'm here for you, ya know. You're my bestest friend!" Emma's smile began to grow wider as she spoke her words to Manny. She reached out to give a hug to Manny but found her arms empty._

_"I can get through it perfect fine by myself," said Manny and she walked away from Emma._

_Rather than serve a detention, Manny was outside underneath the nearby oak tree. She felt her head grow limp and soon found herself sleeping peacefully in the shade._

_Manny was at home._

_"Mom where are you?," she called._

_"Here I am honey, don't worry," said her Mom._

_"I had a bad dream," said Manny._

_"About what? Tell me," said her Mom._

_"That you were dead and I was unhappy and sad all the time," said Manny._

_"It was just a dream. I am not going anywhere. I am never going to leave you," said her Mom. Manny felt the wet kiss accompanied by her mother's red lipstick as she kissed her forehead. Then she heard her Mom's soft soprano voice began to sing into her ear…_

_"Manny wake up!"_

_"Mom?" she inquired. She rubbed her eyes and saw JT staring at her from her feet._

_"You were dreaming," he said bluntly._

_She got up off the ground. And rubbed the dirt off of her jeans._

_"What do you want?"_

_"I wanted to tell you that detention is over," he said._

_"Thanks." She grabbed her bag off the ground and put it on her shoulder._

_"I heard about what happened," said JT sadly. He had turned away from her and was now staring past her towards the school because he, too, knew the feeling of loss._

_"Yeah," she said slowly._

_"I am so sorry," he said honestly._

_"Don't be sorry people die all the time. It is no big deal," Manny said emotionless._

_JT looked at her weirdly but he didn't say anything._

_"Listen, I have to go to class but I will see you later," she said. Then quickly walked off leaving JT there by himself._

_After school, Manny ran to her locker and grabbed her books and her remaining spirals and was about to close the locker door when she saw a red envelope out of the corner of her eye. There was "Manny" written in loopy scrawl on the front. But rather than awe at it's beauty and what it could possibly contain, she grabbed it, stuck it in her backpack, closed the metal door swiftly, and left school in a hurry._

_She was walking down the street when she bumped into someone._

_"Hey watch where you are going!" he shouted at her._

_"I am not the one walking on the wrong side of the street," she said. She looked up from the sidewalk that she had been preoccupied with and looked up._

_"Craig," she said bluntly._

_"Oh Manny, I am so sorry. I didn't know it was you," he apologized._

_"What are you doing back in Toronto?" she asked quietly. She quickly searched his brown eyes for any sign of the attachment that they had had previously._

_"I am here because my touring around the world is over. So I can stay for a while," he said._

_"How is Ashley doing, your girlfriend?"_

_"She is not my girlfriend," he began. "I mean…"_

_"Last time I checked when people let their ex-girlfriend go on tour with them, they end up getting back together," she said sharply._

_"We did end up dating again," he started to explain._

_"That is all I needed to know," she said walking away from him. She only walked a few feet when she heard the familiar rhythm of feet walking behind her. She turned and saw that it was Craig._

_"Manny, wait!" Manny paused and stood there as she waited for Craig to continue. "We are not together anymore," he said._

_"Sure you are not," she said rolling her eyes. She had had enough and was quickly about to become furious. She needed to escape so her emotions didn't hinder whatever else could come out of her mouth. She began to walk again as she heard Craig yelling behind her._

_"We tried to date again, but it didn't work out," he tried to explain again. "Because we had too many different things in our life- SO WE BROKE UP!"_

_Manny stopped walking and turned around._

_"Where is Miss Kerwin now?" asked Manny._

_"She is probably at home or dating Jimmy again. I don't know," he said shrugging._

_"You think you can come here now and tell me all this stuff and I am supposed to jump in your arms," she said sarcasm lacing every word. "Because if that is what you are looking for me to do keep dreaming," she said._

_"Manny I know I hurt you last time," he said._

_"NO YOU DIDN'T HURT ME CRAIG! YOU BROKE MY HEART AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORST YOU WROTE A SONG ABOUT ME SAYING I WAS A THONG GIRL WRONG GIRL," she yelled. She was now completely ticked off. She felt the blood rushing to her face and her knuckles began to feel the need to punch something. Hard._

_"I was going though a lot of things in rehab," he said._

_"I HAVE BEEN GOING THOUGH A LOT OF THINGS TOO," she yelled. She took a deep breath and then continued. "THINGS THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER SEE OR HAVE TO DEAL WITH," she yelled again._

_"It can't be as bad as having addiction to drugs," said Craig dumbly._

_Manny rolled her eyes._

_"Right now, the way I feel, I wish I was on drugs or anything to feel numb, to not feel pain," she said wishfully._

_"Did something happen to you or your family when I was gone?" asked Craig._

_Craig's words triggered a memory and Manny had a flashback to when she was at Craig's concert._

_Craig is on stage._

_Jay and Manny are having a argument._

_"I told you that I wanted to be left alone," she said._

_"I know but I am your boyfriend," he said._

_"YOU ARE NOT MY BOYFRIEND! YOU MEAN NOTHING TO ME, NOT A THING," she yelled._

_"THAT IS IT! I AM DONE!"_

_"Done with what?" asked Manny._

_"Done with this relationship," said Jay._

_"I am sorry but you know why I act this way," said Manny._

_"Sorry is not going to work this time Manny," he said._

_"I understand your mother is real sick but that is no reason to act like a b***," he said._

_"So you are going to just leave me?" she said upset._

_"Yeah, because I can't deal with you anymore," said Jay._

_Jay then walked away from Manny leaving her their by herself._

_Manny was upset and started crying when she heard Craig start singing._

_She walked to the front of the stage and when she saw Craig, she was shocked._

_Manny saw Craig singing on stage with Ashley._

_Manny ran out of the place and ran to her car and got in._

_"Why Craig? Why did you do this?," she said to herself._

_"WHY? WHY? WHY?," she said hitting the steel wheel._

_Manny stopped hitting the wheel and laid her head on it and cried._

_Manny pulled herself away from the flashback and focused on Craig again. She saw his wondering eyes and sympathetic gaze._

_"Tell me what is wrong?" asked Craig_

_"It is none of your dam business," said Manny viciously._

_"Don't worried about me, the only one you should care about is Ashley. She is the only one you truly love anyway." And then Manny left Craig and walked away into the rest of the day._

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	2. Missing You

_The walk didn't seem long when Manny entered her home and proceeded to yell, "DAD, I AM HOME!" at the top of her lungs. She haphazardly threw off her coat and __shoes__ and headed to the kitchen in an attempt to find a good snack leftover from the mass quantities of food she and her dad had still after the funeral._

_As she opened the refrigerator door she saw a note to her right and picked it up. It was from her Dad, urging her to order some pizza with the money he left, saying that he was going to be late for dinner. Rather than run to the __phone__ to order, she closed the fridge and headed to the bathroom._

_She turned on the water and then proceeded to strip. She let her clothes fall around her and then she kicked them swiftly to the door. She sighed a bit when she saw the steam rise from the water. Scorching. God, she wanted to feel it burn._

_She stepped on foot in and then another. And then she lowered herself in after turning off the water. She took a deep breath and then dunked herself under the water._

_Though she tried to drown her memories, they still flooded back to her effortlessly._

_"Momma when will I be able to wear make-up?" asked Manny as she flounced around her mother's make-up counter in her bedroom._

_"When you are old enough to wear it," said Julietta._

_"But I want to wear it now!" cried the innocent Manny._

_"You are too __young__ to wear make-up sweetie," said Julietta putting on eyeliner._

_"But please momma I want to," she begged jumping up and down._

_"Alright I will let you wear some __make up__ if you don't tell your father," said Julietta. She went into her bag and got out some lips stick._

_"Don't move your mouth," said Julietta as she put the red lipstick on Manny's lips. "I am finish now," she said putting the lipstick back into her bag._

_"How does it look ?" cried Manny._

_Mrs. Santos lifted Manny up so she could her face in the mirror._

_"Wow! I looked pretty," said Manny touching the mirror._

_"You looked more then pretty, sweetheart, you look beautiful," said Julietta._

_"I do?," questioned Manny._

_"You also look just like me," said Julietta._

_"Yes we look like sisters," she said happily._

_"Yes we do," said Julietta._

_Mrs. Santos kiss Manny on the cheek as she stares into the mirror._

_RRRRRRIIIIIIIGGGGGG_

_Manny then lifted her head from under the water and got out of the bathtub. She reaches for a towel hanging on the rod to her left and wraps it tightly around her body. She opens the door and heads in the direction of the ringing. "Hello who is it ?" she asked._

_"It's Jay."_

_"What do you want?" she replied sharply._

_"How are you doing ?" he inquired._

_"I'm fine."_

_"Oh! Good."_

_Manny could only roll her eyes in response. Typical Jay. "Is there a reason you called me, beside to ask me how I am doing?," she said._

_"I just wanted to know if you maybe want to hang out sometime together," he replied._

_"No, I do not want to hang out with you," she answered._

_"Why not?," he whined._

_"Because why would I want to hang out with somebody who called me a bitch?," she answered._

_"I didn't mean what I said. I understand that you were just upset about your mother," he said._

_"How are you doing sense your mother died ?" asked Jay, hoping for an opening to keep talking._

_"You have no right to ask me that since you broke up with me," she said. Manny slammed the phone down and she went back into the bathroom. She cleared out her bath and went to her room to put some clothes on. No since in hiding from the world if they still take your solitude away._

_Manny remembered the letter she had received today and decided to open it. She went over to her bag and took out the letter._

_"Dear Manny, I am so sorry for you losing your mother. I know you loved her very much and I hope you can get over your loss," said Manny reading the letter to herself. "If you need to talk to anybody, I am here. your best friend, Emma."_

_Manny threw the letter in the trash. "I don't need your help."_

_Manny couldn't take it anymore. So she fell on her bed and fell asleep. She didn't feel the lips that brushed her forehead or the covers that wrapped around her body when her father came home._

_The next morning Manny woke up and went into the kitchen, where her dad is fixing breakfast, and sat down in one of the white metal chairs._

_"Do you want something to eat?" he asked._

_"No. Not hungry," she said groggily._

_"How was school yesterday ?" he asked._

_"It was fine. The same as always," she said._

_Her dad put the food on the table and sat down._

_"Do you want to talk about anything at all?," he said._

_"What is there to talk about?"_

_"Your mother," he answered eating some food._

_"Why would I want to talk about her ?" she asked._

_"Because you haven't said anything about her since her funeral," he said._

_"There is nothing to say. She is dead and that's the end of it," she replied with no emotion. Her fingers began to thread themselves in her hair as she attempted to find something else to focus on. "I have to get ready to go to school," she said getting up from the table and she also was not wanting to continue that conversation._

_Rather than shower, since she had a bath the night before, she went straight to her bedroom where she put on a long black t-shirt and a black pair of jeans._

_"I'll see you later," she called. She had just run out of her bedroom and was now putting on her shoes._

_"Make sure to come home early. There is something important I want to tell you," he said._

_"Fine." She grabbed her book bag and walked out of the door._

_Craig had been sitting on a bench with Spinner, talking about their past years at Degrassi and now catching up on life when he saw Manny. His smile faded slightly as Spinner called to her._

_"Hey Spin," she said walking towards them._

_"Good morning Manny," said Craig with a gentle wave._

_"Don't talk to me," she said walking past them and into school. Spinner had begun to laugh at the exchange._

_"Wow it is nice to see that Manny is still mad at you," said Spinner._

_"But I don't know why because I told her me and Ash broke up," he said._

_"Dude, just because you and Ashley broke up, doesn't stop her from being mad," said Spinner. Craig didn't say anything. He just rubbed his fingers through his hair and gave a deep sigh. He turned his head and looked through the windows at Degrassi and his eyes fell on Manny, who was at her locker when Emma came up to her._

_"Hey, Manny, how come you didn't call me yesterday night?" asked Emma._

_"Busy."_

_"Did you get the letter I left you in your locker ?" asked Emma_

_Manny slammed her locker door shut. "Yeah, I got it."_

_"Did you read it ?" asked Emma._

_"No."_

_"Manny!" Emma reached out to grab her friends arm._

_"Because I told you, I do not need you feeling sorry for me," Manny said as she shook off Emma's hold._

_"But I was not feeling sorry for you. I just wanted you to know if you needed somebody to talk to I am going to be here," said Emma._

_"If I need somebody to talk to, it would not be you." Manny turned away from Emma and walked to the halls attempting to get rid of her friend, but only found that Emma walked faster._

_"I know it is hard for you to deal with your mother death but this is no way to do it," cried Emma._

_"If you are so damn smart Emma, tell me how I should deal with my mother death ?" Manny asked sarcastically._

_"You can talk to me about it. I can understand what you are going through," said Emma._

_"How can you understand what I am going through? Have you lost anybody you love the most beside Sean?," replied Manny._

_"No, I haven't…"_

_"Then you can never understand how I feel, so just leave me alone," Manny said sharply and then walked away._

_"Class for today assignment, I want everybody to find out history on their families life," said Mr. Moore. "You will have two weeks to do this project and it will have to be finished by Friday the 10th."_

_"Good we don't have to do this project until next week," said JT to Toby._

_"I heard that JT," said Mr. Moore causing JT to jump._

_"All of you should start doing this project today," Mr. Moore said._

_Everybody in class started to moan in response._

_"What if we don't do this project ?" asked Manny._

_"Then you will get a F for not doing the work," said Mr. Moore._

_The bell rang and everybody in class took a paper off of Mr. Moore's desk about the assignment and then scurried out. Manny headed to the Dot, where she usually began her homework, and sat down at a table by herself._

_"You want anything?" Spinner asked her._

_"Just some water," she requested._

_"Coming right up," he yelled from behind the counter._

_Manny went into her bag and found the family tree assignment and looked at it dumbfounded. Her mind began to wander when she heard a voice near her ask, "Is anybody sitting here?"_

_"No," Manny replied quietly. She looked up quickly and then internally groaned in pain. She quickly shifted her eyes to her paper again as he sat down._

_"You studying your homework?" he asked._

_"Yes I am," she replied still not having looked up at him._

_"Maybe I can help you," he said._

_"Don't see how you can do that," she sarcastically replied._

_"Come on let me try it," Craig begged wanting to have some reason to talk to her._

_Spinner came over to the table placing her water near her. Then he left swiftly to return to his work._

_"Can I see your homework paper ?" asked Craig. Manny handed the paper to Craig forcefully. "Oh,. this is easy! All you have to do is tell them about your family history," said Craig. He calmly gave the paper back to her. "Does this mean you're not mad at me anymore?" asked a hopeful Craig._

_"No I am still angry," she said as she put the paper in her bag._

_"I told you me and Ashley are not together," he said._

_"You think that is the only reason I am upset," said Manny._

_"Yes I do," said Craig._

_Manny rolled her eyes._

_"Oh Craig you are dumb," she said._

_"What I am upset about is much more worse than you being with Ashley."_

_"Then tell me!"_

_Manny turned away from Craig as her eyes became blank. "You don't need to know- and what different does it make? She's dead," she replied with a cryptic voice._

_"Who's dead ?" asked Craig._

_"I have to go." She grabbed her bag and ran out of the restaurant. In an attempt to figure out what was going on with Manny, Craig followed her. He went outside to looked for Manny but he couldn't find her (she had ran down an alley so she could hide from him). She watched as Craig went back inside the restaurant._

_"I am so sorry Craig. I wanted tell you about my mother, but I can't because you wouldn't understand," she said sadly. She rubbed her eyes in an attempt to keep the tears from forming and walked home._

_As she walked, it had started to rain gently. It wasn't storming, but the pitiful raindrops helped to hide the tears of a certain dreary girl on her walk to solitude._

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	3. When You Need A Friend

_Manny came home from walking and went to sit on the couch in the living room. She turned on the TV set and stared blankly at it. Soon after, she heard the steps of her father approaching from his bedroom. "Manny, did you just get home?" He asked. "It's already night time!"_

_Manny shrugged nonchalantly._

_"Where have you been all night long?" He said exasperatedly._

_"I was at The Dot doing homework…Sorry, I just forgot the time."_

_"Next time call!" He said. He continued to talk at her as she sat on the couch. But rather than tune in to his pestering words, she let her mind wander._

_"Was it hard getting back into the school life after your mother passing?" He asked. Manny rolled her eyes._

_"No it is not hard at all it is easily to get back into the school because it is the same thing," said Manny. She looked over at her father and saw that he was still staring at her. "WHAT IS WITH ALL THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHOOL AND MY LIFE?"_

_"I just wanted to know how you are doing sense your mother been dead," he said._

_"I AM DOING FINE ALRIGHT! PERFECTLY FINE!"_

_"I just want you to know how you are doing I am here so you can talk to me," he said._

_"WHY WOULD I WANT TO TALK TO YOU WHEN YOU NEVER WANTED TO TALK TO ABOUT MY LIFE WHEN MY MOM WAS AROUND," said Manny._

_"Things change and I am here for you now since your mother is gone," he said._

_"I DON'T WANT YOU HERE FOR ME AND THINGS DON'T NEED TO CHANGE THEY CAN STAY THE SAME AS THEY WERE BEFORE," she said._

_Manny got up off the couch and throw the remote control on the couch and went into her bedroom and shut the door. All her father could do was sit there and shake his head._

_Manny gazed longingly at a picture of her mother on her nightstand. "Why did you have to leave me?"_

_Flashback_

_Manny is in her bedroom crying when her mother knocks on the door._

_"Manny sweetheart can I come in?" she asked._

_"No leave me alone," she said while crying on her pillow. Her mother ignored her command and walked in silently into her daughter's room. She sat down next to her daughter and stroked her hair tenderly._

_"MOM I SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO BE BOTHER," Manny cried._

_"I know you said that now but what you need is somebody to talk to," said her mother. "Honey tell me what happened…"_

_"You wouldn't understand," said Manny crying on her pillow._

_"Try me; I might be old but I used to be 16 years old once," she said._

_Manny turned around on the bed and face her mother._

_"I broke up with my boyfriend," she said._

_"I am so sorry, Precious. Why did you break up with him?" She asked._

_"Because I found out he did something unforgivable," she said._

_"Are you crying because you didn't want to break up with him?" She asked._

_"No I am happy I broke up with him," said Manny wrapping the tears from her eyes._

_"If you are happy then why are you crying?" Asked her mother._

_"Because before I broke up with him he told me that the reasons I don't want to be with him is because I am still in love with Craig," said Manny._

_"Who is Craig?" asked her mother._

_"It was a guy I used to date before Spinner," said Manny._

_"Do you think you are still in love with Craig?" she asked._

_"God, Mom! No! I am not in love with Craig anymore," she said. "Why would I be in love with somebody who hurt me as much as he did."_

_"Because maybe you haven't gotten over him yet maybe you are telling yourself you are over Craig but you are really still in love with him," said her mother with a small smile on her face. She reached over to Manny's arm and laid her hand on her elbow comfortingly._

_"Maybe you are right Mom," said Manny._

_"I know I am right because a long time ago I was in love with a guy…" Manny's mother bit her lip. "But I was too scared to tell him how I felt and he got away." Her mother sighed heavily._

_"Do you wish you had told him how you felt?" asked Manny._

_"I do sometimes…but I got over it because I met your father and fell in love with him. And I love you and Dad more then anything in the whole wide world!"_

_Manny sat up on the bed and faced her parent. "Thanks Mom," she said._

_"For what?" asked her mother._

_"For making me feel better about my break up with Spinner," said Manny._

_"That is what I am here for sweetheart and I will always be here to help you," said her mother._

_"Forever?" Asked Manny._

_"I'll be here forever. I'm not going anywhere," she said._

_Manny gave her mother a strong hug. Her mom hugged her back with equal force._

_Flashback Ended_

_Just then the clock started to ring and Manny woke up with a start. She looked at her clock grudgingly and slammed it off. It was six in the morning. Gross. She got out of bed, grabbed a pair of clothes (all dreary black) from a nearby desk chair and got them on quickly. She then walked out of her room and headed towards the kitchen._

_Manny walked into the kitchen and she got out a bowel and some cereal and milk. She mixed these elements together, stuck her spoon in, and ate standing next to the counter. Once finished, she threw the bowl hurriedly into the sink with her spoon, ran to grab her bag and headed towards the door._

_"Where are you going this early in the morning?" A low, husky voice asked._

_"To the library," she called back._

_Her father gave her a sleepy nod as he headed to the kitchen._

_Just as she said, Manny headed to the library. The streets were empty of normal people; there were only soccer mom joggers and sleepy fathers walking their dogs._

_She made it to the library and reached for the door. Drat! It was locked._

_"Oh come on I thought the liberty opens up early," said Manny._

_"It don't opening up until 8:30 am," a soft voice replied to her thought._

_She turned around and saw Emma. "What are you doing out here?"_

_"My dog has to go for a walk at this time of morning," she said while holding the dog leash._

_"Yeah I know," said Manny._

_Manny walked away from the library briskly and went down the street while Emma followed her._

_"Where are you going now?" Emma called._

_"I don't know," said Manny._

_"You can come over my place if you want my. Mom won't mind," said Emma._

_"No thanks," said Manny._

_Emma stopped abruptly. "Manny why do you hate me?"_

_Manny stop walking and turned around and looked at Emma. "I don't hate you Em," she said._

_"Then why do you keep treating me like this?" inquired Emma._

_"Because I am going through something right now and I need time to myself," Manny said quietly through barely parted lips. "But that doesn't mean I hate you Emma because I don't not at all."_

_"Maybe you can talk to me about what is wrong and I can try to help," said Emma._

_"I don't think you can help me Emma. Nobody can," said Manny._

_Manny proceeded to turn away from Emma. This time, Emma didn't bother following her._

_As Emma was walking home, she saw Craig walking down the street._

_"Oh my goodness, Craig! What are you doing back in Toronto?" She shrieked, hugging Craig excitedly._

_"I came back from my tour to live here again for a while," he said._

_"That is good I miss you," she said._

_"I miss you too Emma," he said._

_"How have you been doing with your music career?" She asked._

_"It is doing great I just started recording some songs for my new album," he said._

_"That's great!" exclaimed Emma._

_"How have you been doing Emma?" Craig asked inquisitively._

_"I have been doing fine. Just dealing with school and problems with parents," Emma rolled her eyes. "All the same stuff as before."_

_"Something's never change." He smirked. He looked down at Emma's dog and reached down to stroke it. Emma took his broken gaze away from her as a sign to begin her next question…_

_"Have you talk to Manny lately?" She asked._

_"Yeah, but she didn't want to talk to me," he said quietly. "What's up with her?"_

_"I am sorry Craig, but I can't tell you. I promised Manny I wouldn't tell anybody," Emma supplied. Craig sighed. "But if you really want to know what is wrong you should asked her," she said._

_"But she won't tell me anything," said Craig._

_"Well then kept trying! She might opening up to you eventually," she said. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll see ya around!" She waved and jogged off._

_Craig stood there silently for a second and then decided to continue on his walk. He couldn't sleep at all; he was too caught up in Manny to ever think of sleeping. He headed towards the park when he spotted the beautiful girl that kept him from his dreams._

_He headed to her bench and sat down next to her. She didn't move. He heard a small snore and touched her arm gently; her eyes fluttered and she began to move around a bit. She didn't get up. Once she was finally coherent, Manny opened her mouth._

_"What the hell do you want?"_

_"Why are you sleeping outside in the street?" He asked._

_"I wasn't sleeping outside!" She crossed her arms against her chest and looked away towards her bag. She grabbed a book quickly out of her bag and handed it to Craig. "I was reading."_

_Craig grabbed the book out of her docile hand and read the title. "The Damaged Girl." His eyes shifted to Manny worriedly. "I heard this book before; Heard it was good." He turned away from Manny. "I heard that the girl in the story is sad and depressed and she tries everything to make herself happy but it doesn't work…In the end she ends up killing herself," said Craig._

_"It is very depressing book," he said at a whisper._

_"I LIKE THINGS THAT ARE DEPRESSING!" Manny gave an exaggerated sigh._

_"I am not arguing. I think the book is cool," he said._

_"You do?" She asked._

_"Yes, I do. I think it is nice that once in a while you want to read something meaningful," he said._

_Manny didn't say anything. She took the book from his hands and traced her fingers against the black front cover._

_"You are not happy a little bit about me coming back," he said bluntly._

_"No, Craig. I am not happy at all that you are back," said Manny sharply._

_"When are you going to forgive me, Manny?"_

_Manny strayed her eyes away from the book cover and towards Craig. She took a deep breath and let the fire unfurl from her insides._

_"BECAUSE WHEN YOU WAS ON TOUR HAVING FUN WITH ASHLEY I WAS HERE HAVING PROBLEMS IN MY LIFE AND I NEEDED SOMEBODY TO HELP ME AND YOU WEREN'T HERE!"_

_"I told you; I am sorry," he said._

_"SORRY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH ANYMORE CRAIG! YOU THINK SAYING SORRY IS GOING TO MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER? WELL YOU ARE WRONG!"_

_"I promise I won't do it anymore I will never leave you when you need me," said Craig looking her in the face._

_"YOU SOUND LIKE SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW THAT DIED THEY PROMISE TO STAY WITH ME TO BE WITH ME FOREVER BUT THEY LEFT ME! THEY LEFT ME!"_

_"Who left you?" Asked Craig._

_Manny shut her mouth._

_"I have to go."_

_"Manny, wait!"_

_"Why don't you leave me alone?" she said._

_"I can't do that I want to help you," he said._

_"YOU CAN'T HELP ME! NOBODY CAN!" Manny turned in a huff. She picked up her bag and began to walk. She felt a stiff arm grab her and spin her around sharply._

_"Listen to me! I am so sorry for what I did, but whatever you are going through you should let me help you," said Craig sharply and clearly. "I can tell you are hurting."_

_"HOW DO YOU KNOW I AM HURTING, HUH?"_

_"Because when I look in your eyes I can see it," he said._

_Manny turned as tears began to form. "Please just leave me alone," she whimpered. She shrugged out of his grasp and began to walk off._

_Craig let her._

_Manny headed off to school quickly. She headed to homeroom. Class had started, but she didn't care as she barged through the door in a haze._

_"Oh Miss Santos! You finally decide to join the class," the professor said. "Sit down and maybe I won't fail you."_

_***DEGRASSI***_

_While at work, Mr. Santos got a phone call. It was Maria, asking if Manny could come and visit. It was just the thing to get Manny out of the house. Wouldn't she love the surprise!_

_***DEGRASSI***_

_The professor sat Manny down at the end of class as everyone left. He warned Manny about the perils of failing in school, how she should be a better student since she has a bright future. How he understood what she was going through and that if she needed to talk she could go to him. But if she expected his help, she would need to do two things: get caught up in school work and get good grades._

_"If you do all of that work I will pass you in class," said the professor._

_"I'll do it," Manny replied with a shrug._

_As everyone headed to second period, Manny went off out of the school. Mr. Simpson saw her leave, but didn't go after her. Manny was a good girl, what would she do?_

_She would smoke._

_"Hey," said Manny when she saw a girl with a light._

_"What do you want?" She asked blowing the smoke out of her mouth._

_"I was wondering can I borrow a cigarette from you?"_

_"How many cigarettes do you want?" the girl asked._

_"Just two," said Manny. She took the cigs eagerly._

_"Thanks."_

_Sticking one in her pocket and keeping the other one steady in her hand, she asked for a lighter._

_"Keep it," the girl said as she threw a yellow lighter at Manny._

_Manny caught it and lit up._

_Felt good._

_She stood at the corner for a while (the girl had since long been gone) when Spike walked over._

_"Manny!" She waved enthusiastically._

_"**." She put the cig underneath her foot and put it out._

_"Manny, what are you doing out here?" she asked._

_"I was just walking around thinking," she said._

_"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" She asked._

_"I am in school. It was just my lunchtime," said Manny._

_"Oh….Listen. If you ever need to talk to someone, me and Mr. Simpson are always here" said Spike._

_"Thanks but I will be fine," said Manny._

_"It was nice seeing you again," said Spike._

_"You too," said Manny._

_Spike walked off. Manny grabbed her second cigarette and lit._

_Craig was driving around with Spinner looking for something to do._

_"Dude I know of this cool place we can go to that has all the hot ladies," said Spinner as he tapped on the steering wheel. "I bet since you are so famous you get all the fine ** ladies too."_

_Craig smiled. They listened to the local radio station when Spinner looked out the side window, giving the girl at the corner a quick glance._

_"Hey dude," said Spinner. "Is that Manny?"_

_"It looks like her but it couldn't be. Manny doesn't smoke," he said._

_"I don't know, Craig man, she's been acting weird."_

_Craig got out of the car quickly once Spinner hit a red light._

_"Dude! What are you doing?"_

_"Going to see if that was her, man." He jogged down the street and went to see if that was truly Manny._

_Spinner sighed._

_Manny finished her cig and threw it on the ground. She stepped on it with her shoe and was prepared to walk off when she heard a voice calling out to her._

_"Manny!"_

_Craig. She rolled her eyes._

_"Why do you keep following me," said Manny._

_"I am not following you; I was just wondering if you needed a ride," said Craig._

_"No. I can get to where I am going by myself," said Manny and she began to walk off._

_Craig stood there when he heard the beeping of Spinner's car._

_"Dude, just leave her alone! She doesn't want to be bothered," said Spinner._

_"I can't do that Spin," said Craig._

_He left Spinner and ran towards Manny._

_"Manny, WAIT!" He called._

_She stopped. "Not you again," she said while rolling her eyes._

_"Listen, Manny. I'll make you a deal. Ride with me and Spinner and we'll take you wherever your going. Do this, and I won't bother you."_

_"Forever?"_

_"Forever."_

_Manny bit her lip. "Fine," she said grudgingly._

_She went to Spinner's car and got in the back seat while Craig took shotgun again._

_While Spinner and Craig made small talk, Manny looked around the car at the interior when she saw a picture of someone laying on the dashboard._

_"Who is this in the picture?" She asked._

_"My sister Angie," Craig said. "I was showing Spinner earlier."_

_"Wow she's growing!" said Manny._

_"Joey said if she gets any bigger she is going to look like a tall tree," said Craig._

_Spinner laughed as Manny smiled and put the picture on the dashboard._

_"Where does Joey and Angie live now?" asked Spinner._

_"Calgary."_

_"Is he ever going to come back and visit us here?" asked Spinner._

_"No, probably not."_

_"Why?" Manny asked, turning around to seek out his facial expression._

_"He doesn't have a reason for coming back. I did."_

_Manny blushed and turned quickly. She looked down at her hands as they fiddled with the bottom of her shirt._

_"Hey, man," began Spinner, "That concert you have tomorrow night. Can we get free tickets?"_

_"Yeah, I'll see what I can do. You want some Manny?"_

_The car reached to a stop in front of Manny's building._

_"No thanks," she said quietly. She got out of the car and headed to the front door as Craig ran after her._

_"Here, take this." He handed her a small piece of paper._

_She took the small, folded paper into her hand._

_"What is it?" asked Manny._

_"Just something I want you to have," said Craig._

_Manny nodded her head. "Thanks."_

_"Maybe you will think about coming to my concert?"_

_"Okay, I'll think about it."_

_"Good," said Craig as he turned and walked off. He gave her a small wave as he got into Spinner's car._

_Manny went inside and locked the door. She stood there for a moment with a soft smile on her face._

_Spinner began to drive off with Craig at shotgun. "Dude, next time you spend so much time with her in one spot, just have sex with her," he laughed with a perverted grin._

_"We wasn't doing anything like that," said Craig._

_"Tell me what was really was happening between you and her," said Spinner._

_"Nothing! I walked her up to the door and we just had a small moment. That's all," said Craig._

_"THAT IS IT?" cried Spinner with disbelief._

_"Yeah," said Craig._

_"Dude that is messed up," said Spinner._

_"Why would you say that?" Asked Craig._

_"Just so much dang time you're spending with her…" said Spinner._

_Manny walked away from standing at the door and headed to her room. She sat on the bed and opened the letter that Craig had given her._

_Manny bit her lip. "Fine," she said grudgingly._

_She went to Spinner's car and got in the back seat while Craig took shotgun again._

_While Spinner and Craig made small talk, Manny looked around the car at the interior when she saw a picture of someone laying on the dashboard._

_"Who is this in the picture?" She asked._

_"My sister Angie," Craig said. "I was showing Spinner earlier."_

_"Wow she's growing!" said Manny._

_"Joey said if she gets any bigger she is going to look like a tall tree," said Craig._

_Spinner laughed as Manny smiled and put the picture on the dashboard._

_"Where does Joey and Angie live now?" asked Spinner._

_"Calgary."_

_"Is he ever going to come back and visit us here?" asked Spinner._

_"No, probably not."_

_"Why?" Manny asked, turning around to seek out his facial expression._

_"He doesn't have a reason for coming back. I did."_

_Manny blushed and turned quickly. She looked down at her hands as they fiddled with the bottom of her shirt._

_"Hey, man," began Spinner, "That concert you have tomorrow night. Can we get free tickets?"_

_"Yeah, I'll see what I can do. You want some Manny?"_

_The car reached to a stop in front of Manny's building._

_"No thanks," she said quietly. She got out of the car and headed to the front door as Craig ran after her._

_"Here, take this." He handed her a small piece of paper._

_She took the small, folded paper into her hand._

_"What is it?" asked Manny._

_"Just something I want you to have," said Craig._

_Manny nodded her head. "Thanks."_

_"Maybe you will think about coming to my concert?"_

_"Okay, I'll think about it."_

_"Good," said Craig as he turned and walked off. He gave her a small wave as he got into Spinner's car._

_Manny went inside and locked the door. She stood there for a moment with a soft smile on her face._

_Spinner began to drive off with Craig at shotgun. "Dude, next time you spend so much time with her in one spot, just have sex with her," he laughed with a perverted grin._

_"We wasn't doing anything like that," said Craig._

_"Tell me what was really was happening between you and her," said Spinner._

_"Nothing! I walked her up to the door and we just had a small moment. That's all," said Craig._

_"THAT IS IT?" cried Spinner with disbelief._

_"Yeah," said Craig._

_"Dude that is messed up," said Spinner._

_"Why would you say that?" Asked Craig._

_"Just so much dang time you're spending with her…" said Spinner._

_Manny walked away from standing at the door and headed to her room. She sat on the bed and opened the letter that Craig had given her._

_Dear Manny,_

_I am so sorry you are still mad at me for going on tour with Ash. But I promise you that I will make it up to you. I am going to do everything humanly possible to show you that I don't want Ashley or Ellie anymore._

_I want you!_

_I know I have not been there with you when you were going through some problems…But I'm here now. And if you give me the chance, I will be there for you forever. I am not asking for us go back to dating each other. But can we at least be friends? Let me back into your life, Manny._

_Manny stopped reading the note. She looked at her bed and found another folded piece of paper._

_It was a photograph of her first date with Craig._

_She felt soft tears stinging her eyes._

_Maybe Craig really does want to be there for me._


	4. Trying Get Over My Mother

_Manny wakes up and sits on the edge of the bed, for the first time in a while she doesn't feel depressed or mad at the world. She goes into the kitchen, opens a cabinet to take out a bowl, then gets into another cabinet for the cereal. After she has gotten and poured her __milk__ from the refrigerator, Mr. Santos sits down on the couch in the living room and turns on the __television__. He then turned around to look at Manny smiling, "You seem happy today," he states._

_"I am happy." Manny replies._

_"I don't mean to get into your __business__ but why the suddenly change?" asked Mr. Santos._

_"Something happened yesterday that made me happy." she answered._

_"Well it is good to see you smile again," he said. When Manny finish her cereal, she put the bowl in the sink, and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. As Mr. Santos is eating his breakfast the phone rings, "Hello, who is it?" he answers._

_"It's Jessica," she exclaimed._

_"What are you doing calling here?" he whispered._

_"I just had to talk to you." she baited._

_"I told you not to called here." he barked._

_Manny turned off and got out of the shower, grabbed one towel to wrap around her body and she started drying her hair with another. After opening the door from bathroom to hallway and walks out, she can hear her dad talking to someone over the phone._

_"When can I see you again?" she whined. "As soon as I'm not busy with __work__ or my daughter." proclaimed Mr. Santos. "I need to see you soon, remember I'm leaving town next Tuesday." babbled Jessica. "Don't worry I will come see you before next Tuesday." Mr. Santos affirmed. "I'll talk to you later, bye!" Jessica said excitedly. "Bye," Mr. Santos hung up the phone and turned around only to see Manny behind him, "Oh!" he yelled frighteningly._

_"You scared me." he choked putting his hand over his heart._

_"Who were you talking too?" Manny demanded folding her arms._

_"Uh…I...was…talking to somebody from work," he stammered._

_"Why would you have to see them before next Tuesday?" she questioned._

_"Because it is the only time I can have the work meeting." he alluded._

_When Manny looked at him weird, Mr. Santos looked down at his watch, "It's getting late shouldn't you start getting ready for school," he said walking away from her. Manny then went into her bedroom, closing the door she thought to herself, "I wonder who my father was talking to?" Manny went into her closet, and pulled out a pink top, blue jeans and brown __high__ heels. After getting dressed Manny walked over to the mirror, looked at her reflection, and fixed her make-up and hair. Leaving the mirror she headed back to the closet to put on her black jacket and book bag, "Dad! I'm leaving!" she yelled while grabbing the keys._

_"Bye Sweety!" he responded. She walked out the apartment and locked the door. As Manny was walking down the street to school, somebody pulled up next to her in their car, "Hey!" the driver yelled. Manny looked at him only to roll her eyes, "Oh great! Just when I was starting to have a good day you show up." she denounced._

_"Come on don't be like that." he cooed._

_"Which way should I be?" Manny countered sarcastically._

_"I told you that I'm sorry for what I said." he exclaimed._

_"Sorry is not good enough," Manny declared, "There is nothing you can do that would make it better, Jay!"_

_"Alright I can't make what I did better, but will you at least let me give you a ride to school," Jay coaxed._

_"I am fine walking to school." she announced back._

_"Come on! I promise I won't try anything," he vowed,"Let me do this one thing to try and make it up, please."_

_"Alright fine." Manny finally agreed and Jay stopped the car for Manny to get in._

_"How is everything going with you?" he asked._

_"As best as it can be" Manny stated as she looked out the window._

_"It must be hard for you to go back to school after your mother's death." Jay said._

_"Yeah it's hard but I have a life to live, I can't just die, because my mother did." Manny said expressionlessly._

_"I know you don't believe me but I want to say I am sorry," he said._

_"You're right I don't, it's bullshit," she said._

_"No! I'm telling you the truth I am sorry for what I said to you the day your mother was sick," admitted Jay. "You are not sorry for anything you said!" she boomed. "Why would you say that?" he asked. "Because if you were so damn sorry then, how come you didn't tell me you were sorry when my mom died!" she said, "You don't care about my mother being dead," she sadly said, still looking out the window._

_"Yes! I do to care about your mother!" exclaimed Jay. "No you don't because if you did you would of come to the funeral!" Manny screamed. "The reason why I did not go is because I was busy working!" he said. "That isn't good enough," said Manny, "The real reason why you didn't come is because you didn't care about my mother being dead!" she said._

_Jay then pulled up to the school and stopped. "When are you just going to forgive me?" he asked. "I am never going to forgive you, Jay!" Manny yelled as she opened the door and got out of the car, slamming the door shut and walked up the step into the school. Jay then drove off down the street._

_Meanwhile, Craig is at the studio to put the touch ups on his new album, "What do you think?" asked Jackson. "I think it sounded good," said Craig._

_Just then Leo came into the room, "Hey Jackson, I have to talk to Craig. Can you take your lunch break now?" he commanded more than asked. "Alright cool, see you later." Jackson said getting up from the chair and left the room._

_"Do you like how the album is turning out?" asked Craig._

_"I think your second album is going to be great," Leo replied, "But I need to talk to about something."_

_"Sure what is it?" asked Craig._

_"When are we going back California?" Leo asked. Craig sat down in the chair, "Pretty soon," assured Craig. "How come we can't go back to L.A right now?" Leo accessed. "Because there are somethings here I have to do." Craig explained._

_"We can't sell your music as much here, as we can sell it in California." cautioned Leo._

_"Couldn't we always try," Craig said determinedly. "Yeah we can, but I think we should go back to L.A." Leo stated._

_"All I need is a couple of months in Toronto," argued Craig._

_"I'll give you until June, but once June comes that is it," he said._

_"If you haven't gotten what you came here for done, then my record crew and I are leaving," said Leo, "With you or without you." Leo then walked out of the room. Craig sat their in the chair thinking, "I hope she changes her mine by then and sees that I care about her."_

_At Degrassi High the bell had begun to ring, announcing class was over. Manny walked down the hallway and went to her locker, as she started to put her books in JT walks up to her, "Hey Manny."_

_"Hey." she replied back._

_"So, I haven't seen you around school lately." said JT._

_"I've been in school I just haven't been hanging out with anyone." she said._

_"Oh I understand." he said, "I heard there is going to be a party at some club down town."_

_"When is it?" asked Manny putting her books in her locker._

_"It's going to happen tonight," he said, "I was wonder if maybe you would." JT's talking was cut off when some of Manny's books fell out of her bag onto the ground, "Oh shit!" Manny exclaimed._

_"Here let me help you." he said bending down to pick them up. As JT was helping to pick up Manny's books, he came upon a picture on the floored. Picking it up and turning it around, JT sees it is a pictures of a young woman holding a baby. Standing up off the floor while holding the picture JT stammers out, "Uh...Manny," he said._

_"Yeah JT?" asked Manny as she put books into her bag._

_"Who is this woman?" he asked. Manny stopped putting her books into the bag and looked at JT holding the photo."Where you get that?" she asked._

_"It fell out of your bag," he explains. Manny ripped the photo out of his hands._

_"Who is that woman in the picture?" he asked once again. "It is none of your business." was the only answer he got before Manny shoved the picture in her bag, slammed the locker shut, and rushed off down the hall. But, JT wasn't going to give up that easily so he followed her down the hall, "Come on tell me who it was," he said. Manny stopped walking and turned around, "You want to know who it is that photo?" she said._

_"Yes I do," said JT determinedly._

_"That's my mother! You know the one that died!" she said._

_"Oh I am sorry Manny your mother dieing__," he apologized._

_Just tell me what I can do to help." he said calmly._

_"You don't get it there is nothing you can do to help me!" she screamed with tears streaming down her face, not caring who heard or saw, "Emma can't help me and you can't help me! Nobody can save me from the pain I am going through!" People in the school were standing in the hallway looking at Manny, but Manny just walked away from JT, opened the door and left the school. JT didn't know what to do after Manny walked away, so he went to class._

_Manny is walking down the street crying when she stops to sis on the steps of someones house. Taking out a carton of cigarettes and lighter from her book bag, Manny lights a cigarette and inhales the smoke in her lungs, "Why can't people just leave me alone and stop asking me about my mother," she thought to herself, "I know JT was trying to help but he should of let it go." Manny then opens her bag to take out the picture and then sits there looking at the picture and smoking a second cigarette._

_"I wish you were here Mom, everything is so fucked up since you died." Manny thought to herself while touch her mother's face on the picture. Tears started to come down Manny's face again, when she was crying she started to have a flashback long ago._

_-Flashback Started-_

_Young Manny sat on the floor of her mother bedroom looking at her mother's stuff in the closet. While going through a box she finds a picture, and stops to stare at it. Manny gets up from the floor to go into the living room, "Momma," she said running over to her._

_"What is it Sweetheart?" asked Juliette._

_"Is this you in the picture?" asked Manny sitting on the couch. Juliette took the picture out of Manny hand, "Oh, this is me holding you when you was a little baby." said Juliette._

_"Wow Mom, you look so young." she said._

_"Yeah, I had you when I was 24 years old." she said._

_"How are you now?" she asked._

_"I'm in my 40s right now," said Juliette, "I am not old, I'm just not young anymore." she said._

_"Were you happy when you married Daddy?" she asked. Juliette didn't say anything for a minute then she decide to talk, "When I married your father I was pregnant with you and I was very young."_

_"So you didn't love Daddy?" questioned Manny. Juliette looked at Manny. "Dimples I love your father very much." she said, "Its just that getting married young means I had a lot of things I wanted to do in my life, but I couldn't because I got married. I do not regret getting married to your father it was the happiest thing I ever did in my life," Juliette said, "Because that was the day I had you." Juliette then grabbed her daughter and started tickling her. Manny was laughing while her mother tickle her._

_Flashback Ended_

_Manny took the cigarette out of her mouth, threw it on the ground and she step on it. Putting the photo back in her bag, she got up and walked down the street, "I wonder where I should go now, since I am not going back to school," She thought about where Craig said he'd be today. Manny kept walking down the street until she stop at a building and went in, "Hello," Manny called out._

_"What do you need?" the secretary asked while looking at her nails._

_"Can you tell me where I can find Craig Manning?" she said._

_"Do you have appointment?" asked the woman._

_"Um...no." said Manny._

_"You can't see anyone here without appointment...sorry." the woman said, not sounding sorry at. Disappointed and sad, Manny walked away, she was about to leave the building when somebody called out to her, "Hey you," he said. She turned around to see who it was, "I'm sorry, but I don't know who are you." she said walking up to him._

_"But I know you," said the guy smiling. All Manny could do was look at him weird, "Alright, you just sounded like a stacker so should I be calling the police now." she said nervously. The guy started laughing, "No you don't have to call any police, because the whole reason I know you is because I am friends with Craig," he said._

_Manny breathe a signed of reliever, "Oh, so you are friends with Craig," she responded._

_"Yeah, I'm Michael," he said holding out handed. "Nice to meet you Michael." she said shaking his hand._

_"I heard a lot about you." said Michael._

_"You did?" asked Manny._

_"As matter of fact all Craig talks about is you." he said. Manny's smile was getting bigger but she was trying to hide it, "Can you tell me where I can find Craig?" she asked trying not to smile._

_"Well Craig isn't in this building right now but I can tell you where to find him," he said taking out a card to give to her. Manny turned it around and looked at it, "The underground what's that?" she asked._

_"It's a night club. If you go there you might found him." he said._

_"Thank you." she said._

_In the meantime, JT is in English class when Emma taps him on the shoulder, "I heard you and Manny had a argument in the hallway?"_

_"I didn't really argue with Manny, I was talking to her about the party when her books fell out of her bag," JT explained, "I was helping her with the books when I found a picture on the ground. I picked it up and saw a woman holding a baby."_

_"Who was it in the picture?" asked Emma._

_"I didn't know who it was, so I asked Manny," he said, "Then she got mad and ripped the photo out of my hand, slammed her locker shut and walked away," he said, "I kept asking her who the woman was in the picture and then she told me that was her mother."_

_"What happening after that?" asked Emma._

_"She started to yell and scream at me about hot nobody cares about her," said JT, "Then Manny started crying and she walked away" JT put his head on the desk, "I don't even know what I did wrong," he said feeling bad._

_The only reasons I asked her if she wanted to come to the party was because I thought maybe she could go out with us and forget about her mother been dead for a while," he said._

_"JT you didn't do anything wrong its just that Manny is upsets about her mother," she said, "She isn't taking her death very well."_

_"What can I do to help her?" he asked._

_"There is nothing you can do to help her." said Emma, "The only thing you can do is leave her alone until she wants you to help her."_

_"Yeah maybe your right," said JT, "I just hope Manny lets someone in to help her with her problem."_

_Manny walks into the night club and goes up to the bar, "Can I help you?" asked the bartender._

_"Do you know if a guy name Craig Manning is here?" she asked._

_"Is he a singer?" asked the man._

_"Yes he is." she said._

_"I haven't seen him here, but if you stay here a while I'm sure he'll come in." said the man._

_"Thank you." Manny said as she got up from the chair and began to walk around the place. As she watched the men moving the instruments she spotted a table went to sit down. A couple hours later a van pulled up outside and people hurried out of the van, "All right so you guys are going to set everything up for tonight?" asked Craig._

_"Yes we are and don't worry, when you get on stage tonight you're going to sound great." said the guys, Craig and the crew then headed into the club._

_Manny as sitting in the club waiting for Craig when her cell phone started to ring, "Hello."_

_"It's Dad." said Mr. Santos._

_"What do you want?" she asked._

_"I just called to see how are you doing in school." he said._

_"Uh...school...It's fine, I'm doing just fine." said Manny nervously._

_"Good because I was worried about you." he said._

_"You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine." said Manny._

_"I also wanted to tell you that your grandmother called me today." he said._

_"She said that she wants to see you." he said._

_"I don't want to see her." she said getting mad._

_"Come on you going to have to get along with her sometime." he said._

_"No I don't ever have to get along with her." said Manny._

_"She didn't like my mother why should I like her." she said._

_"Your grandmother didn't hate her daughter. They just had different ideas about life." he said._

_"It had nothing to do with their ideas about life," said Manny getting even angrier, "The only thing it had to do with, is that woman hating my mother."_

_"You shouldn't say bad things about your grandmother, she's a nice caring woman," said Mr. Santos. Manny rolled her eyes even thought her father could not see her._

_"That woman is not nice or caring, she is an evil bitch!" said Manny._

_"You do not talk bad about your grandmother like that, she never did anything wrong to you or me!" he said, "You will go visit her in New York as soon as I get a plane ticket for you!" said Mr. Santos. Manny's only response was hanging up the phone and she throwing it in her bag. She then rushed into the bathroom and slammed the stall door, and then she cried. After she finish crying she opened her bag and took out the last cigarette in the box, "Damn, now that is some good shit," said Manny. What she didn't know was that at the moment Craig was sitting at the bar._

_"What can I get you?" asked the bartender._

_"A can of soda." he said. The man pour the soda and gave it to Craig, who sat there drinking the soda._

_"There was a girl who was here looking for you." stated the bartender._

_"Oh, what was her name?" he asked_

_"I never asked her name...sorry." said the guy._

_Manny is still in the bathroom, now looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and her eyeliner was running down her face. Manny took some tissues and wiped her face off, then applied more eyeliner. After she finished putting on the eyeliner she threw the tissue in the trash can and left out of the bathroom. Craig was on stage talking to the sound crew with his back turned when Manny came out of the bathroom and looked around the club again, but could not see him. She was walking out the door when Craig turned around and saw the long black hair that could only be Mannys'. He walked up to the microphone and spoke, "I was wondering if there is a beautiful woman here name Manny Santos here." he said on the microphone. The people in the club that were there starting laughing._

_Manny turned around and she looked up at the stage, as Craig jumped off the stage and ran over to her, "Leaving so soon." he said._

_"I've been here for two hours." she said._

_"You've been waiting for me that long," he said, "Wow you must really wanted to see me." Manny face started to turned red a little bit, "What...no...I didn't stay here that long to see you." she said._

_"Then what did you stay here for?" he asked._

_"Umm...I...wanted...to see how the crew sets up everything before the club opens up." she said._

_Craig just stared at Manny, "Is that the real reason why you stayed here?" he asked._

_"Yes it is." she said._

_Craig smiled at her because he knew she wasn't telling the truth, but he went along with it, "Then let me show you around." he said. She followed Craig around the night club, he showed her everything in the nightclub. When he was done showing Manny around they sat down on the stage, "Are you happy all your dreams came true?" Manny asked._

_"I'm sort-of happy. I am glad to be a famous rock star that gets to sing in front of people, including famous ones," he said, "But there is something missing." he said looking down._

_"What could be missing?" asked Manny._

_"I already know what's missing in my life." Craig said as he looked at Manny for a while without saying anything else._

_"So...why are you here today?" she asked trying to change the subject._

_"I decide to come here with the sound crew before the the club opens up" said Craig._

_"Cool" she said._

_Some guy walked over to the stage, "Manning."_

_"Yeah what?" Craig asked._

_"Somebody on the phone wants to talk to you." he said._

_"Alright," said Craig, "Excuse me Mann, but I'm going to go see who that is on the phone." he said._

_"Sure fine." she said._

_Craig got up from the stage and went over to the telephone, "Hello." he said._

_"Do you want accept the collect call from Clargery?" asked the operator._

_"Yes I do." he said._

_"Wait one moment please." said the operator._

_The operator connected Craig to Clargery, "Hey Craig," said Joey, "How are you doing?"_

_"I'm fine how is everything with you in Clargery?" he asked._

_"Everything is great," said Joey, "But I have a problem." he said._

_"What's wrong?" asked Craig._

_"Diane and I are going on a trip to Florida, but we don't have anybody to take care of Angie while we are gone." he said._

_"Well can't you asked your mother to take care of her Joey." he said._

_"I could but my mother is out of town on a bingo cruise," he said, "So I was wondering if maybe you could take care of her while I'm out of town?" he asked._

_"Uh...I don't know if I can." said Craig touch his face._

_"Come on, please Craig. I need you to do this," he said, "Because this trip Diane and I are taking is supposed to be a romantic get away," he said._

_"Just because it's romantic get away doesn't mean you can't take Angie." he said._

_"Craig do I have to spell it out for you," said Joey, "The reason why I'm taking Diane on this trip is because I am planning to propose to her," said Joey._

_"Wow that is great Joey." Craig exclaimed._

_"Now you understand why I need you to let Angie visit you for awhile." he said._

_"Okay fine, I'll watch Angie." Craig finally agreed._

_"Oh great thanks Craig!" said Joey._

_"No problem," he said, "When is Angie coming to visit?"_

_"She will be coming to see you two weeks from now." said Joey._

_"Are you going to let Angie get on the plane by herself?" he asked._

_"No way Diane is going to take Angie to Toronto," said Joey, "Before I hang up. thanks again for doing this." said Joey._

_"Sure I don't mind helping out," said Craig._

_"Bye." said Joey._

_"Bye." said Craig hung up the phone and he walked back over to the stage. Manny was on stage holding the microphone in her hand, "You should try it out and see how you sound." said Craig._

_"I don't think so." she said letting go of the microphone and sitting down on the stage._

_"Come on I bet you would sound good if you singed." he said sitting on the stage next to her._

_"The only time I sing is in the bedroom while listening to the radio." she said._

_"Somebody must have heard you sing before." said Craig._

_Manny started to think about it, "There is one persons that heard me sing."_

_"Who was it?" asked Craig._

_"It was my mother, she heard me sing one time," she said, "When I was about 11 years old my mother asked me to sing for her one day and I did." she said._

_"What did she say?" asked Craig._

_"After I finished singing she told me I had the most beautiful voice she ever heard," Manny said feeling the tears in her eyes. Manny put her head down and wiped her eyes._

_"Manny are you all right?" he asked._

_"Uh...yes I am fine," she said._

_"You sure because you look like you were going to cry." said Craig._

_"No Craig I am not crying there is just something in my eye, that's all." she said with her head down. Craig lifted her head up with his hands and looked her in the eye. He saw a tear fell down her eyes, "Why would talking about your mother make you sad?" asked Craig, "What your mother said about your singing was a good thing not bad." said Craig letting go of her face but still looking her in the eyes._

_"Yeah I know it was good thing." she said not looking back at him._

_"Why are you crying when you talk about it?" he said._

_Manny then looked at him in his eyes, "Because...my...mother...she...is..." she stammered when somebody interrupted her, "Hey Craig," he said._

_"What?" asked Craig._

_"Can you please move we need to move something on stage and you're in the way." he said._

_"I guess we can't sit here any longer." he said standing up._

_"Damn!" she said rolling her eyes as she bent down to pick up what fell out of her bag, "Let me help." Craig said bending down he helped her put all her books back in her bag, and then gave Manny her bag, "Thanks." she said zipping up her bag and putting it on her back._

_"So what was you going to tell me?" he said, "You were going to tell me the reason why you were crying when we got interrupted." he said._

_"Oh that...umm...the reason isn't important anymore...forget about it." she said, walking away from Craig, he followed her and put his hand on her arm, "Come on what did you want to tell me, it had to be important." he said touching her arm._

_"If I told you I would regret it, so it is best left the way it is." she said._

_"I want to know what it was you were going to say." he said._

_"It doesn't matter now Craig...so drop it!" she screamed and ran out of the club and Craig didn't stop her. Craig was going to sit down in a chair when he saw something on the floor and pick it up. When he turned it around and looked at it, it was a picture of a woman holding a baby, "This must be Manny's picture," he said to himself, "I need to give this back to her." Craig put the photo in his jean pockets._

_Manny walked around some more when she got tried she decided to go home. When she walked into the house she saw her Dad sitting on the couch with some woman. "Dad I'm home."_

_"Oh! Hello Sweetheart." said Mr. Santos._

_"What are you doing home?" she asked._

_"I decide I was going to do my work at home today." he said._

_"Alright I understand that, but why is this woman here?" she asked._

_"She works with me in the office and she came over to help." said Mr. Santos._

_Manny put her book bag on the floor, walked into her bedroom and laid down on her bed. After a while Mr. Santos got up off the couch._

_"I think so too." she said._

_"Have to go to my car and look for the another subject paper," he said, "I'll be right back." he said. He walked over to the closet and grabbed his coat and headed out of the apartment. The woman was still sitting on the couch doing the work when Manny got up from the bed, went into the living room and saw down in a chair, "So work for my father?" she asked._

_"Yes, I work with him in his department." she said._

_"Are you and my father friends?" she asked._

_"Oh yes! We real good friends." she said smiling._

_"Do you like my Dad more then a friend?" Manny asked._

_The woman looked at Manny and didn't say anything, "Uh...I think your father...is a really nice guy." she said._

_"Do you want to have sex with my father?" asked Manny._

_"I think you're asking me too many personal questions." she said._

_"I can asked you whatever I want. If you don't like it you can leave my house." said Manny._

_"You don't have to be so mean," she said._

_"Who the fuck do you think you are telling me what to do, your not my mother," said Manny._

_"I am glad I am not you mother because if she was alive I don't think she would like the way you talk to people." she said._

_"How did you found out about my mother being dead?" she asked._

_"Your father told me about your mother." she said._

_It was then that Manny then got very upset, she got up off the chair and put her jacket on, "Where are you going." asked the woman._

_"I am leaving because I don't want to be here with a bitch like you." said Manny walking out the door. Manny stormed out the door of her apartment and went rushed the stairs. She was so upset, that she wanted to punch something. Manny didn't know where to go so she just kept walking until it was 7:00 PM. That is when Manny decide to go over to the poll hall, she walked in and sat at the bar. A bartender came up to her, "What can I do for you?" he asked._

_"Get me a bottle of beer." she said._

_"Are you 21 year old?" asked the man._

_"Yes I am." she said._

_"Let me see your I.D." he said._

_Manny showed him her I.D card, but he only looked at it weird, "I'm sorry you can't have a beer, you have to be 20 or 21 to drink here." he said. Manny grab her I.D card back from him. "Fine then!"she said and walked around the pool hall, when she saw a guy drinking alcohol, "Can I have some?" she asked. "Yeah sure," he replied._

_The guy took a beer off the table and gave it to her, "Knock yourself out," he said. Manny took the beer and drank it down. After a while Manny was drinking heavily, she started singing and dancing on the pool table. Just then she started to feel sick to her stomach, she jumped off the pool table and ran into the woman's bathroom, rushed in a stall and threw up. After she was done puking her guts out she got up off the floor, flushed the toilet and left out of the stall. Manny splashed her face with water and looked at herself in the mirror, when she starting think about what her mother had once said, "You look just like me." Manny then proceeded to punch the mirror with her fist, causing the glass to brake. The mirror was cracked and there was glass covering the floor beneath it. Manny looked at her hand to see it was cut up and blood was dripping down her arm. She didn't do anything to stop the blood running from her hand, all she did do was stand there with a happy smile on her face._

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	5. The Hardest Part Of Life Is Living

_Emma was at home, sleeping, when the telephone rang. The loud sound of the telephone's ringer pierced her ears and made her groan. She slowly rolled her body over and reached out for the telephone that sat on the nightstand near her bed._

_she answered sleepily, holding the phone to her ear, "Hello?"_

_The deep raspy voice on the other line startled Emma a little, "Hello."_

_"Who is this?"_

_"It's Jackson from the pool hall.", She didn't answer and waited for him to continue, "I'm actually calling to ask if you knew this girl that's been hanging around here."_

_Emma rubbed her eyes as she sat up on her bed, "What's her name?"_

_"It says on her I.D that her name is Manny Santos. Do you know her?"_

_"Yeah, I know her.", Emma said after an exasperated sigh._

_"Well, she's here. She passed out last night from drinking too much," Jackson told Emma, then asked, "Could you please come and get her?"_

_"Sure, okay." said Emma._

* * *

_Jackson hung up his phone and put it on the table. He sat at the bar, drew himself a bottle of beer from the mini fridge and drank it. A couple of minutes later, he heard a light knock on the front door of the pool hall. Jackson rose from his stool, and then sauntered over to the door. He unlocked the door and swung it open to find a tall, blond-haired girl standing outside the door._

_"I am here to pick up Manny," Emma announced and Jackson gestured her to enter; so she did._

_Emma walked in and asked, "Where is she?"_

_"She's laying on the pool table asleep in the back of the room."_

_Emma nodded and trotted over to the back where she saw Manny was at. The brunette was sprawled out on the pool table, unconscious and snoring loudly. Her mouth was gaped open with saliva slowly oozing out into an already formed puddle of drool beneath the corner of her lips. Emma shook her head disappointed at the train wreck that was her best friend._

_Emma walked closer to the pool table, "Manny, wake up," she demanded, nudging Manny's body, "It's time to go home." She kept trying to wake up the unconscious girl but Manny wasn't the type to wake up after just a few gentle pushes._

_"Lady, I don't think you going to get her up," Jackson commented._

_Emma raised her eyebrows at him, "Why not?"_

_"Because she drank a lot of alcohol so she going to be passed out for a while until it wears off."_

_She looked between Manny and Jackson for a moment before asking, "Can you please help me get her off the table and into the cab?"_

_"Sure I don't mind," he said, walking over to help Emma with Manny._

_He picked up Manny and let Emma walk in front of him to the door. She opened it and Jackson carried her best friend out to the backseat of the cab._

_Emma thanked Jackson for helping and he replied, "No problem, but next time you should tell your friend that the pool hall is for playing pool, not sleeping on the table here."_

_"I will.", Emma nodded while closing the door to the cab behind her. She told the cab driver where to go and drove off._

* * *

_The next day, Manny woke up on the couch, looked around, and realized that she was at Emma house._

_"How did I get here?", she thought._

_Manny sat up on the couch and put her hand on her head, "Oh my god my head is killing me", she whined internally._

_Emma came up from the basement spotting Manny still hunched over on the with her hands on her head, "So you are finally awake."_

_Manny groaned, "How did I get here?"_

_"Jackson called me to pick you up from the pool hall at 2 in the morning."_

_Manny chuckled lightly, "I guess I had one too many shots of vod-"_

_Emma cut Manny off, "This isn't funny. You shouldn't be getting drunk and passing out in pool halls and I shouldn't have to wake up at 2 a.m. to come and get you when you do these things."_

_Manny just rolled her eyes and rose up from the couch. She strolled into the kitchen, took a mug out of the cupboard, and poured herself some coffee. Then,went back into the living room and sat down on the couch._

_"Calm down, Em", she soothed, taking a sip of her coffee, "I was just having some fun."_

_"You shouldn't be drinking for fun, Manny," Emma retorted. "You've never acted like this before!"_

_"People change, Emma. I've changed. And if I want to have fun now, I'm gonna need alcohol to do it."_

_"How many times I am going to have to bring you to my house drunk?"_

_Manny cocked her head to the side before answering, "You don't have to worry about that. I'll get somebody else to call when I get drunk instead of bothering you."_

_"It's not about that. I just think your drinking is going to make you really sick," said Emma._

_"My drinking isn't anything that I can't handle."_

_Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Don't you think you need to talk to someone like a doctor?"_

_She stops drinking her coffee and put it on the table, "I'm not crazy and I don't need a doctor telling me about a problem that I know I already have."_

_"What is your problem," said Emma in a exasperated tone._

_"I miss my Mom like crazy.. THAT'S my problem, alright."_

_Emma sat down in a chair next to Manny, "If you can't to talk to a doctor, maybe you can try talking to me."_

_"Thanks but no thanks I don't need to talk about the past."_

_Manny got up and went over to the couch to pick up her jacket. She put it on and grabbed her bag._

_"You're going to have to talk to somebody about your mother.", Emma said in her last attempt to get Manny to open up._

_The brunette opened the door and left Emma's house while still talking, "That where you are wrong. Nobody can make me talk about this or anything else for that matter."_

_Emma shook her head and then put her head down on the table._

* * *

_Manny opened the door to her apartment and went in. She put the keys on the table and sat down on the couch._

_Mr. Santos came out of the bedroom, "Where you been all night long?"_

_"I was at Emma's house", she said._

_"Next time you stay out all night long, make sure to call me and tell me where you're at."_

_"Yes sir,", Manny said as she layed down on the couch and closed her eyes._

_"Did you say something bad to my friend from work yesterday?" he asked._

_"I don't think so", She said touching her forehead._

_"She told me that you said some rude things to her that hurt her feelings."_

_Manny rolled her eyes again and tried to keep her anger to a minimum, "So what if I hurt her feelings. She shouldn't have been in this apartment anyways."_

_"She was just a guest here helping me with my office work."_

_"How come you told her about my Mother being dead?"_

_Mr. Santos tried explaining the situation, "She asked if I had a wife and I said she passed away two months ago."_

_"You acted like you were happy about her being dead,"_

_"You know damn well I am not happy about her been gone. I miss her every single day."_

_"If you miss her so much, then why are you hanging out with that woman?"_

_"She and I work together and that's all," he said._

_Manny got up off the couch, "I'm going to my bedroom. I'm so sick and tired of hearing these lies."_

_She went to her bedroom, shut the door and sat on the bed._

* * *

_Craig was sitting in a chair in his hotel room looking at the picture of Juliette and Manny when she was a baby._

_Craig is trying to figure out why Manny would have this picture in her bag. Just then his cell phone starts to ring, "Hello who is it?"_

_"It's me honey."_

_He rolled his eyes and sat down on the bed, "Didn't I tell you to not call me anymore,"_

_The woman on the other line purred into the phone, "Come on don't be mad I thought you and I were going to get back together?"_

_"Listen, why would I want to get back together with you Ashley?"_

_"I know you regret breaking up with me.. When we were on tour you loved every second we spent together. It was nice and extremely hot. Why would you want to let that go?"_

_Craig tried letting her down easy, "We had some good times on tour together, I know. But us dating again when we was on tour was a bad idea."_

_"Why do you say that?"_

_Craig started feeling anger bubble deep inside him, "Because you were using me to become famous. You ditched me to start dating the drummer, Matt."_

_"I never meant for you to get hurt. I'll admit that I did join your band to become famous and make my own music album."_

_"I hope you and Matt are real happy together."_

_"Me and Matt broke up after my album came out," she said in a resisting tone._

_"That doesn't surprise me at all to be honest."_

_"Now that I'm all by myself, I was thinking maybe me and you can try to get back together?"_

_He couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Me and you get back together? Why? So you could use me again? Goodbye Ashley."_

_Craig hung up the phone and put it on the table. He held on to the picture of Manny and walked out of the hotel room._

* * *

_Manny got off her bed and opened the door to walk into the living room._

_"Don't you have to go to school today?", Mr. Santos asked the second he saw her._

_"Yeah. I'll be ready soon."_

_Manny went back in her room to change. She put on a blue top, black skirt, and combed her hair to wear down freely. She grabbed her bag, put on her gym shoes and grabbed the keys while leaving the house._

_She slipped into Mr. Armstrong's class while he was giving specific instructions for a test, "This test is 50 points towards your grade. If you practice you will not fail this test, but if you didn't study you will fail for sure."_

_Mr. Armstrong gave Manny her math test. She felt defeated before she even began. She took out her pen and did as best she she could. The bell rang what felt like minutes later and everyone turned over their work to Mr. Armstrong._

_Manny walked down the hallway and she went into the lunchroom. She grabbed a pizza and a chocolate milk and sat down at a random table._

_Jane notices Manny by herself as Spinner walked her to the lunchroom, "How come Manny is by herself?"_

_"Jay told me that she has a lot of a problems and doesn't like being around anyone recently.", he said while taking a lunch tray._

_"I'm going to talk to her anyway."_

_"Go for it but don't get mad when she tells you to go away."_

_Jane kisses Spinner on the cheek, "Don't worry, I won't get upset."_

_Jane went and sat down by Manny, "So did you hear about the concert?"_

_"No."_

_"There's this awesome Green Day concert coming up next month and I thought maybe you could go with me and Spin?"_

_"Sorry but I don't think I would have time to go."_

_"Come on and go with us! You'll have fun, I promise."_

_"I'll think about it,"_

_That was all Jane needed to go off of, "I'll save a ticket for you if you change your mind."_

_"Alright fine", Manny got up from her seat to throw her food away then left the lunchroom._

_She headed straight for the bathroom and tried fishing out her cigarettes from her bag._

_Once she realized they weren't there her shoulders slumped, "Oh great, now I'll have to buy more cigs."_

_Manny closed her bag and made her way down the hallway and snuck out of the back door of the school._

_She walked down the street until she found a drugstore. She made her way to the counter and looked at the cashier, "Two packs of Marlboro menthol's please."_

_"That'll be $13.45"_

_She easily payed the money before taking off the plastic packaging from the cigarettes and threw the trash away from her while walking. She took out a cigarette and lit it while it rested between her lips. She inhaled deeply before walking down the street and continued taking drags until she came across a restaurant and started thinking back to when she was a little girl."_

* * *

_Flashback_

_Juliette and young Manny walked down the street to buy some clothes when Juliette suddenly stopped walking in front of a restauant._

_"What the matter Momma?" Manny said looking at her._

_"This is the place where your father and I went on our first date", Juliette said while reminiscing._

_"Was your first date with Daddy amazing and beautiful?"_

_Manny's mother smiled and nodded, "It was a good first date"_

_"Did you and Daddy get married after that first date?"_

_Juliette laughed, "No we had to know each other a long time before we got married.", Juliette bent down to look at her daughter in the face, "I hope one day you get to go on your first date with a guy and he takes you to this restaurant."_

_Juliette kissed her daughter on the cheek before she started walking again._

_Flashback Ended._

* * *

_She slowly blew the smoke out of her mouth and wiped a stray tear from her eye. Manny flicked her cigarette and sat down at the outside tables of the restaurant._

_A waiter sees her sit and heads over to her, "How may I help you?"_

_"What's the name of this palace?"_

_"It's the Maurizio's restaurant."_

_"Can I just start with some water please?"_

_"Sure, no problem."_

_Manny decided to light up another cigarette when Craig got out of his car and went into the place._

_"Good afternoon Mr. Manning," said the waiter._

_"Do you have my table ready?"_

_"Yes, it's right over here."_

_The waiter led Craig to his table and seated him, "Do you need a minute?"_

_"No, I'll have a macaroni and cheese with a meatloaf and a glass of wine."_

_"We'll be right back with your glass of wine."_

_The waiter gave Manny her glass of water while Craig sat at his table with glasses still on, "Thank you."_

_Mr. Santos shows up at a restaurant across the stress with the woman and entered the building. Manny sat there drinking her water and notices her father entering the building. She begins to choke on the water she was drinking while seeing her father with his coworker._

_The waiter rushed over to her and started lightly hitting her back, "Are you alright?"_

_Manny stopped coughing enough to get a few words out, "I'm fine."_

_She ignored the way the words came out so rude and inconsiderate and excused herself to the lady's room._

_She splashed water on her face and looked in the mirror, "Everything he told me this morning was a complete lie.."_

_Manny couldn't take it anymore. She started to yell and scream and soon began hitting the bathroom stalls so hard her fists started to bleed. Everyone in the restaurant could here the loud banging and looked curiously in that direction. Manny took a deep breath to calm herself and looked at her knuckles to see torn skin and smeared blood. When she came out of the bathroom, she didn't say anything and returned to her table as if nothing happened._

_Craig took off his sunglasses when he noticed Manny and tried calling her over, "Hey Manny!"_

_Her head shot up and saw Craig waving her over. When she walked over to him, he smiled at her, "I didn't know you came here."_

_"I don't.. I was just checking this place out."_

_Craig nodded and waved his hand around, "I come here all the time they have the best food."_

_The waiter came and served Craig his wine, "Your food will be here in a minute."_

_Manny gestured toward the wine as the waiter walked away, "I see they have good wine too."_

_"A glass of wine is usually good with the food here."_

_"Nothing wrong with a few drinks."_

_Craig waved his finger at Manny while taking a sip of his alcohol, "I don't think I remember you being a drinker."_

_"Oh yeah uhm.. I don't."_

_Craig took another sip of his wine, "How are you enjoying your last year at Degrassi?"_

_"It's great.. Just a blast."_

_"That's good.. Your senior year is supposed to be the best year you'll have."_

_Manny looked at him confused,"If it's supposed to be your best year why did you drop out?"_

_"Well, I guess it wasn't my best year..", Manny started laughing as he tried justifying his decision, "I knew staying in school wouldn't do much for my music career so I dropped out"_

_"I see you made the right choice then rockstar."_

_The waiter served Craig his food as Craig remembered something, "You dropped something at the club last night."_

_He took out the small photo and handed it to her, "I found this."_

_She put the picture in her bag, "Oh thanks for finding that"_

_"I was actually wondering why you would carry a picture of your mother to a show?"_

_"Is there something wrong with carrying a picture of my mother?"_

_"Oh no I don't see anything wrong with it but you see her at home don't you?"_

_Manny tried to ignore the truth, "I'm just really close to her."_

_Craig could see her getting uncomfortable so he changed the subject, "So anyways, Ashley called me and wants to get back together."_

_"What did you tell her?"_

_"I told her no. She used me on tour and I don't want that to happen again."_

_Manny sat down with him at his table, "How'd she use you?"_

_"She only started dating me so I could get her singing career started. After she got what she wanted she broke up with me and hooked up with my drummer."_

_"Oh my god. That must have really sucked for you. I'm sorry about that. How did you take it when she broke up with you?"_

_"It hurt of course. But I moved on because life is too short for me to cry over somebody that didn't want me in the first place."_

_Manny tied her hair up while answering, "Yeah that makes sense"_

_He saw the blood on her hands and reached out to see, "What happen to your hands?"_

_"It was an accident."_

_"You have beautiful hands. You should be more careful.", Craig then noticed her looking at the picture of her mom on her lap, "How come you looking at that picture."_

_"It just reminds me about the happier times I had with my family."_

_"You having a hard time at home?"_

_Manny gave a weak smile, "Yeah, I remember one of the hardest problems I faced at home was when I decided to dress sexy... My father hated the way I dressed but my mother told him to leave it alone and he did. She was always there for me with any problems I had,"_

_Craig looked at Manny and saw tear stream down her face, "Manny, Why are you talking like this?"_

_"Like what?"_

_"As if you don't have your mother anymore," said Craig._

_"Yeah, sorry..", She wiped the stray tear and got up from her seat, "I should go. See you around"_

_The tears started falling easily from her eyes once she left the restaurant, "Stupid, stupid Manny. He wouldn't understand. Why would you want to tell him?"_

_Craig tried to catch up to Manny and stopped in front of her, "Why are you following me Craig?"_

_"Because I want to know what's wrong."_

_"I said everything I had to say now leave me alone."_

_Craig grabbed her arm to get her to stop from walking, "I'm not going to leave you alone. Why are you so upset and crying all the time?", Manny looked anywhere but him, "Manny, I just want to help."_

_"Why do you want to help me?"_

_"Because I'm your friend."_

_"Now you want to act like a friend?"_

_Craig tried to apologize for their past, "I regret the way I treated you when we were dating. I didn't mean calling you a mistake and trying to say that you took drugs. I was the drug addict not you. I want to be your friend and help you with any problems you have. I don't want to be the reason for your pain."_

_"Being a friend now doesn't change the past."_

_"I want to try to make it up to you.", When Manny didn't say anything, he asked again, "Can you please tell me now why you're sad all the time?"_

_She closed her eyes, "I want to tell you but I can't", She opened her eyes, "I'm sorry."_

_Craig let her go with a disappointed look on his face._

_Manny walked to the place she saw her father and that woman walk into and went up to a waiter, "Can you tell me if Joshua Santos is here?"_

_"Sure I'll look for you."_

_Manny took a seat at the bar as the waiter came back, "He's not here but he was an hour ago."_

_"Was he with a woman?"_

_"Yes, she was blonde."_

_Manny nodded as she walked away, "Bartender?"_

_"What do you want sweetheart?"_

_"Can I have a glass of wine?"_

_"Are you 21?"_

_Manny lied as best as she could, "Yeah, I have I.D. if you need it."_

_"No, no it's fine."_

_He poured her a glass of red wine and smiled at her, "Thank you"_

_After a few glasses she started feeling the effects of the alcohol course through her system._

_A random guy took a seat next to her, "How are you doing tonight?"_

_"Well my father is a lying ass so not so good."_

_"Everybody's father is like that."_

_She shook her head, "My father acts like he gives a shit about me but all he cares about is himself..What is your name anyway?"_

_"It's Ryan."_

_"Nice to meet you. But like I was saying, he acts like he cared about my mother but I can tell that he was happy when she was gone."_

_She finishes her glass of wine and waved to the bartender, "Another please."_

_"I think you've had enough," he said while taking the glass away._

_"I have a a few bottles of stuff at my house."_

_Manny nodded and got up, "Okay, well lets go"_

* * *

_Jay is walking down the street when he sees Manny holding on to some guy and decides to walk over to them, "Hey Manny, I see you found a new guy."_

_"We're gonna get more alcohol."_

_Jay looked at both of them weird, "Manny, are you drunk?"_

_"Yes very much I am.."_

_Jay tries to grab on to her, "I think I'll take things from here"_

_"No way man. She wants to come with me", said the strange man._

_Jay turns to him and points to Manny, "She's drunk dude. Go home and I'll take her."_

_The man walked over to his car put Manny in the back seat, "Just fuck off. I got her."_

_Jay swung at the man making him hit the floor and kicked him hard in the stomach. He picked up Manny and carried her to his place. He opened the door and turned on the light with one hand then laid Manny down on the couch with a single bound._

_Manny started whining, "I want alcohol."_

_"No Manny. There's no wine here. I got you away from that random guy."_

_"I just want to drink._

_"You don't need any more alcohol you need to sleep," said Jay._

_"Fuck sleeping I need alcohol. I don't want to deal with my dad sleeping with another woman literally days after my mom passed away. Just give me one glass of alcohol please."_

_Jay shook his head, "I can't do that Manny."_

_Manny ended up passing out a few minutes later and Jay kissed her on the forehead before going upstairs to his room._

* * *

_The next morning Manny got up and sat on the couch, she rubbed her eyes and looked around to see she wasn't anywhere she recognized, "I can't believe I fell asleep at some stranger's house."_

_She got up off the couch to leave when Jay walked in,"Nice to see you awake."_

_"How did I end up here?"_

_"I found you drunk about to get into some strangers car so I beat the shit out of him and brought you here."_

_Manny tried think back to what happen that night but she couldn't remember, "I remember talking to some guy at the bar but it's fuzzy."_

_"I did the only thing a guy should do for his girlfriend."_

_"Ex-girlfriend remember?"_

_"Yeah ex-girlfriend."_

_"Thank you for saving my life.. Maybe."_

_Jay shook his head, "I don't mind Manny.. I wish I could've been there for you when your mom died. Is that why you're drinking? To forget what happened?"_

_"Yeah, mostly."_

_"I'm sorry I wasn't there at her funeral. I had good intentions. I was looking for a new job. I wanted to come, I really did."_

_Manny hugged Jay and looked at him in his eyes, "Thank you for telling me that you wanted to be there."_

_"Does that mean we can start over?"_

_"I don't want to be in a relationship right now."_

_"But we can be friends if that's alright?"_

_Manny sat down on the couch, "Yeah.. I'd like that.", She put her hand on her head, "Do you have a Asprin?"_

_"Oh yeah.", Jay went into the bathroom and got some pills out of the cabinet and got a glass of water for her._

_"Thanks," she said taking the pill and drinking the water._

_She looked at the watch on her arm, "Oh shit it's 10:30. I gotta go home."_

_She left Jay's house and walked down the street to get home. When she got home she looked around for her father but couldn't find him. Manny sat down on the couch and looked at her phone. When she didn't see any messages from her dad she laid on the couch and closed her eyes._

_Just then, her cell phone started to ringing, "Dad?"_

_"No, it's me Craig."_

_She let out a sigh, "Oh, hey."_

_"You sound upset. Are you okay?"_

_"I'm fine. What you called me for?"_

_"There's this party and I'm hoping you can come."_

_"Are you asking me out?"_

_"No. My manager told me to bring someone so I'm hoping we could go just as friends. It's next Friday," he said._

_"I'll let you know by then."_

_"Okay thanks Manny."_

_She hung up and decided to do her schoolwork. She finished around 2 and went to lay down for a bit._

_Mr. Santos came into the house angry and went straight to Manny's room, "Where have you been?"_

_"I was here."_

_"Don't lie."_

_"I stay over at Emma's."_

_"I called Emma's house and Mrs. Nelson said you was not there. Tell me where you was all night,"_

_"I just hung out in the street all night."_

_"Why would you do that?"_

_She got up off the bed and walked into the living room and sat down, "I didn't want to be here when that woman was here."_

_"What did I do wrong?"_

_"You're lying to me about that woman you work with!"_

_"I told you, she's just a friend."_

_"Why were you two having lunch together at that restaurant then?"_

_"How you know about that?"_

_"Because I was there. I cut class okay?"_

_"I went to lunch with her because she would've been alone."_

_"No, you're lying."_

_Manny's dad raised his eyebrows, "How long have you been cutting class Manny?"_

_"Awhile now, not that you noticed."_

_"You're going to eventually have to repeat your senior year. No more cutting class. I'm going to ask the principal to keep an eye on you. Give me your cellphone and you're visiting your grandmother later."_

_"I'm not going to see her. Is their another way you can ground me for missing class?", asked Manny._

_"No. I'm going to buy your ticket to London."_

_"This is so unfair."_

_Manny went into her bedroom layed down._

_Mr. Santos picked up the telephone, "Hello can I order a ticket one way London,"_

_After he got off the phone he went into the room to check on Manny. He saw an empty room with the window open._

_Manny knocked on the door until someone answered, "Yes what do you want?", asked the woman._

_"Is Jay here?"_

_The woman left the door Jay came out, "Manny what are you doing here?"_

_"I need to talk to you but I see you're busy."_

_"Oh she is just a friend," said Jay._

_The woman then came out of the kitchen and stood next to Jay and kisses him on the lips, "Just a friend huh."_

_Manny walked away and Jay left his friend in the apartment to go after her._

_"Wait! Let me explain myself," he said._

_"It's fine. I get it."_

_"She's just a very good friend."_

_Manny stop walking to turn and slapped him, "That is for lying to me about your girlfriend."_

_She then walked down the stairs and out of the front door of the house._

* * *

_Craig sat in his hotel room hanging out with Marco and Spinner._

_"I can't believe you get to live in this big hotel room," said Marco._

_"This is so cool and amazing," said Spinner._

_Craig rolled his eyes, "Yeah I know. I got the new basketball video game,"_

_"Let's play it," said Marco._

_Craig got out the video game and started playing it._

* * *

_Manny was sitting outside the store when two girls came out of the store._

_"I heard that famous singer Craig lived in one of these big hotels down this street," said Anya._

_"I doubt it.", said Holly J._

_"No I heard it on the news." said Anya._

_Manny made her way to the hotel after that._

_"How may I help you?" asked the man._

_"Does Craig Manning live in this hotel? I am one of his friend's."_

_"You can't see him without his permission."_

_"Can you call him and tell him I'm down here?"_

_The bell boy went over to the phone and dials his number._

_Craig was watching a hockey game with his friends when the phone rang, "Hello?"_

_"Mr. Manning I have this girl down here saying she is your friend. Do you want me to let her up?"_

_"Sure.", Craig hung up the phone and went back to watching the game._

_The bell boy hung up the phone, "You can go up to his room. It's room number 291."_

_"Thank you."_

_Manny went to find the room and stood there looking at the door before knocking._

_Spinner surprisingly opened the door, "Hey Manny."_

_"Hey Spin, Is Craig here?" she asked._

_"Yeah go ahead and come in."_

_Manny went in and saw Craig watching television with Marco while drinking a beer._

_She sat down while Craig turned around, "I am glad you're here."_

_Craig hugged Manny before going back to watching television._

_They all finished watching the game together before Marco and Spinner decided to leave._

_"Now that was a great hockey game," said Spinner._

_"It was even better it on a huge television," said Marco._

_They left and Craig closed the door behind them._

_He saw Manny sitting on the couch reading a magazine, "I see you didn't have any fun,"_

_"It's fine, you wanted to hang out with your friends."_

_"I'm sorry you had to sit around the whole time."_

_"I didn't mind."_

_He went around and picked up the empty beer cans._

_She looked around the hotel, "You sure are living fancy"_

_"My manager thinks I need it."_

_"Having a big room like this means you can party."_

_"When I'm not working, I will."_

_He picked up all the beer cans and threw them into the trash, "Why you come to see me today?"_

_"Because I needed a friend to talk to."_

_"About what?" he asked._

_"I might be leaving for a while."_

_"What…..Why?"_

_"My father wants me to go visit my grandmother and she lives in England. He doesn't understand how I feel because all he thinks about is himself.", she said._

_"There is nothing wrong with seeing your grandmother," said Craig._

_Manny looked at him weird._

_"I mean I know you don't like her but maybe you could get to know her and become friends."_

_"I don't know about that," she said looking down._

_"Come on what do you have to lose," he said._

_"Maybe I'm over reacting."_

_"just give her a chance."_

_"Sure I will," she said._

_Manny got up off of the bed and walked around, "How long are you living here for?"_

_"Until I can afford my own place."_

_"It shouldn't be hard for you to find a place.. You have a lot of money now."_

_"Yeah I do, but I might not need a place since I'm just staying for a while."_

_"You're leaving again?", She asked._

_Craig lay down on the bed, "My manager wants me to go back to California."_

_"When will you be leaving?"_

_"I don't have to leave until maybe next year. My manager told me he's giving me one more year to stay here."_

_"Can I go out to the balcony?"_

_"Yeah sure."_

_He opened the door for her and walked out with her, "WOW this is amazing."_

_"It is pretty cool."_

_"You can see everything.."_

_"You should be here at night when all the buildings are lit up.. It looks so beautiful. Sometimes I come out here to think and try to figure things out,"_

_Craig and Manny left the balcony and went back into the room, "Everything in your life has changed for you," said Manny._

_"Yeah I know. What about you? Do you have things that changed in your life too?"_

_"No, not really.."_

_"You're in your last year of high school and soon you'll be going off to college."_

_"I am not thinking about college. I have others things on my mind. I might fail and have to retake senior year."_

_"I can help you with your school work?"_

_"No, you have your own things going on in your life. You don't have time to help some high school girl with her school work."_

_"I don't mind. Like I told you before, I want to help you. Do you have any school work with you now?"_

_"Yeah.", Manny went over to her bag and sat down in the chair in the kitchen and pulled out her books and laid down them on the table and Craig went and sat down next to her._

* * *

_Emma's phone rings and after a few seconds she answered it, "Have you seen Manny?" asked Mr. Santos._

_"No I haven't is something wrong?"_

_"She snuck out of the apartment after I told her not to leave. If you see her call me and tell me where she's at."_

_"No problem."_

_Mr. Santos hung up the phone and kept looking through her cell phone until, he found another number and dialed it._

_Craig and Manny were sleep with their heads laying down on the table, when cell phone started to ringing._

_He opened his eyes and answered his phone, "Hello?"_

_"Is Manny Santos there?"_

_"Why do you want to know?"_

_"I'm her father. Is my daughter with you?"_

_Craig eyes got big after he said that, "Yeah."_

_"Can you tell her that she's to come home. She's in deep trouble."_

_Mr. Santos hung up and Craig laid his cell on the table shook Manny's shoulder lightly, "Wake up Manny,"_

_She woke up rubbing her eyes, "What happened?"_

_"We fell asleep. You need to go home."_

_"What… Why?"_

_"Because your father called and you need to go home."_

_She closed her book and got up off the bed, "I knew he'd find me"_

_"I'll see you later or whenever I bump into you again."_

_Manny left and went to her apartment._

_She went into the living room and saw her father mad sitting on the couch._

_"Did you have fun sneaking out?" he asked._

_"No dad."_

_"That's too bad because you are not going out anymore unless you go to school," he said._

_"The only reason I snuck out is because of your threats about going to my grandmothers."_

_"I know you don't like her but running away is not going to change my mind. Now you can go to your room."_

_She went to her room and layed down. She thought about her mother._

* * *

_The next morning when Manny woke up and got up out of bed. She saw that her Dad was gone and that he left a note saying he went to work early. She washed up and put on some new clothes._

_Manny grabbed her keys and left out the door._

_Mr. Armstrong was writing on the board when the bell rang, "Today class we are going to learn about college math"_

_Manny came into the classroom shortly after._

_"You are late again," he said._

_"I know I am sorry," he said._

_She gave him the late pass and sat down._

_"You will need to know about this math work if you want to pass classes in college. You will be giving a test on this later this week."_

_After a while the bell ringed and everybody left class. Manny went to lunch and ate her food._

_Just then Emma sat down next to her, "Hey"_

_"Hey."_

_"Your Dad called to see if you were at my house yesterday."_

_"What did you tell him?" she asked._

_"That I didn't know where you were then your father hung up. Where were you?"_

_"I was at a friends," she said._

_"Your Dad sounded really mad."_

_"He was mad because I snuck out. He told me I had to visit my grandmother," she said._

_"But you don't even like her."_

_"My Dad knows that but it's part of my punishment for skipping school," said Manny._

_"What are you going to do when you go visit her?"_

_"I'm going to try to make the best of a very bad situation."_

_"When are you leaving?" Emma asked._

_"The first week of next month."_

_Just then Liberty came over and sat down to Emma, "Hey Emma,"_

_"Hey."_

_"I have to go I'll talk to you later," said Manny._

_"Bye Manny."_

_Manny got up and threw her food away. She went into the bathroom and took out cigarette and lit it._

_She looked at herself in the mirror once she was done and was about to leave the bathroom when Holly J came in._

_"I see you're not cutting class", she said looking at herself in the mirror._

_"No, I stopped doing that," said Manny._

_Holly J started to smell a funny smell, "Were you smoking in here?" Don't worry I won't tell but you should be careful"_

_Manny left out of the bathroom and went to her locker to drop off her books and cigarettes. The bell rung and everybody hurried to their next class._

_"Today class we are going to write a poem about life," said Mrs. Kwan._

_Everybody got out a piece of paper and started to write but Manny didn't know what to write about, "I could write about things in my life that I hate," she thought._

_She then picked up the pen and started writing. After a while somebody knocked on the classroom door and Mrs. Kwan waved them in._

_"Manny Santos the principal wants to talk to you."_

_She put down her pen and got up. Manny and Miss Hatzilakos walked down the hallway together._

_"Why did you take me out of class?" asked Manny._

_"Somebody told me that they found you smoking in the bathroom around lunchtime."_

_"I didn't smoke in the bathroom."_

_Miss. Hatzilakos stopped at Manny's locker, "We we'll see. Open your locker please."_

_She opened the locker with shaky hands and Miss Hatzilakos came up with nothing, "I'm sorry I took up your time Manny."_

_Manny closed her locker and tried to walk back to class._

_Holly J was standing next to her locker talking to her friend Anya, when Manny walked up to her, "I see you told the principal."_

_"Told the principal what?"_

_Anya spoke up while walking away, "I'll see later Holly J."_

_"Bye," said Holly J._

_"About me smoking in the girl's bathroom."_

_"I didn't tell her anything she must have found out."_

_"The only way she'd know something is because of you"_

_Holly J walked away from Manny, "You can think what you want."_

_Manny went back to her locker and took out her cigarettes and started leaving the school when Spinner bumped into her, "Sorry."_

_Spinner offered his hand to help Manny up off the floor. Spinner looked down the floor at something and picked up._

_Before Manny could answer him Mr. Simpson came walking up to them, "Spinner Mason gives me the cigarette."_

_"What were you doing with these in school?" he asked as he had it placed in his hand._

_"I…..I,"_

_Spinner was looking at Manny and saw she had a worry looked on her face, "I got them from a friend,"_

_"That friend of yours got you into trouble. You have a detention after school," said Mr. Simpson._

_"Manny, you'll be joining him since you cut class yesterday. Make sure both of you are in my room after school."_

_Mr. Simpson walked away from them._

* * *

_It were 2:30 pm and everybody was leaving school but Manny and Spinner. Manny walked into the classroom and saw down in the chair. After a while Spinner came into the room and saw down in a desk._

_"What are we supposed to do?"_

_"Just sit here until your time is up," said Mr. Simpson._

_Spinner laid his head on the desk and closed his eyes. Manny went into her bag and got out a book to read._

_Miss. Kwan knocked on the door and excused Mr. Simpson to do something, "I am going to leave this classroom for a while and I will be back. Don't leave this room until time is up."_

_Mr. Simpson closed the door and walked out of the classroom._

_Spinner opening his eyes and sat up on the desk, "Finally he's gone. It's just me and you."_

_"Yeah so what," she shrugged_

_"You sure are angry a lot recently. Whatever happened to the girl who was happy and smiling all the time."_

_"She disappeared," said Manny still reading her book._

_Suddenly, Spinner's phone started to ring._

_He reached into his pocket, pulled out his cell phone, and answered it, "Hello?" He greeted the other person on the line, "... I'm in school right now... Yeah, I got dentition and I have to stay here until my time is over... Alright I will see you later, love you. Bye." He then hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket._

_"Talking to one of many of your girlfriends, huh Spin?"_

_"Nah," he denied, "that was my mom on the phone."_

_"What did you tell her?"_

_"I told her I'd be home when detention was over.", he said as he got up out of the chair and plopped down in the desk next to Manny, "So, how come you're being so quiet today?"_

_"I don't know. I don't really feel like talking.", She answered softly._

_"Upset?" he guessed, "Did you have an argument with Emma or somethin'?"_

_Manny shook her head, "No."_

_"Then why are you upset? Did your mom say you that you couldn't go to the Green Day concert?"_

_Manny bit her lip, "No."_

_"Oh. That's good,", Spinner smiled. When Manny didn't say anything, Spinner continued, "I wish my mom was cool like yours. She always wants to know where I going or what I am doing. I wish she would just give me some space, you know?"_

_Thoughts of her mother started to fill Manny's mind and her eyes become watery. She couldn't even grasp how angry she was at Spinner for taking having a mother for granted._

_A tear escaped from her eye and she excused herself. "I have to go to the bathroom," she said, setting her book on the table and getting up from her seat. She ran down the hallway, turned the corner, and went into the nearest girl's bathroom._

_When she entered into the bathroom, she started bawling. She turned the knob for hot water at the sink and the water shot out of the spout. She exhales deeply as she forces her arm under the water. Manny winces as heat of the water touches and burns her arm. She shrieks softly as she quickly removes her arm from under the water and turns it off._

_Manny glances at her burned arm. Her arm stung badly, but she shook the pain off._

_She breathed calmly, grabbed some tissue paper out of a random stall, and dried her eyes. Once she was finished, she threw the paper away and began going back to detention, trying to act as if nothing just happened in the bathroom._

* * *

_After a while, Mr. Simpson returned into the classroom, "Alright class, dentition is over; you all can go home." he announced._

_Manny shoved her book in her bag, zipped it up, and left out of the room. Spinner followed Manny out of the room and down the hallway. He saw her exit the school and sprint down the street._

_When Manny finally stopped running, she sat down on an empty bench in the park and buried her face in her hands. She began to cry again, and this time, she couldn't stop herself, "Oh God. Mom, I miss you so much."_

_Spinner was going down the street and came to a halt when he eyed Manny sitting on the bench sobbing, "MOM WHY DID YOU DIE AND LEAVE ME," he heard her cry, "WHY YOU LEAVE ME MOM WHY." He thought about going over to her and trying to console her, but he decided not to. He left her alone and kept walking._

_Manny wiped her tears from her eyes and she got up from the bench and started walking._

* * *

_I loved to read reviews on my story and reviews are really appreciated. :)_

_Thank You all for reviewing my story. :)_

_I am happy that you enjoy my story and it is only going to get much better from here, so please keep reading it and leave your comments._


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